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# Community College Daily

American Association of Community Colleges

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## Posts

- [News Topics](https://www.ccdaily.com/news-topics/)
- [Observations about the House’s WIOA bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/observations-about-the-houses-wioa-bill/) - Timing is everything. Never has the A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026 been more relevant to community colleges. We are at the epicenter, straddling access and career success, which is both the promise of the bill and its challenge. We must navigate this bill carefully, advocating for its opportunities while mitigating its risks.
- [The power of partnerships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/the-power-of-partnership/) - A decade ago, Marion Technical College did not have the means to pursue meaningful grants. The two-year institution, which shares a campus with Ohio State University, lacked a dedicated grant office as well as a staffer to spearhead large-scale funding proposals. All told, a bad memory that Marion Tech President Ryan McCall would prefer to
- [Roll call on community college research](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/roll-call-on-community-college-research/) - The Council for the Study of Community Colleges — an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) — just hosted its 67th annual conference. Top of mind for researchers and leaders in attendance were discussions about mission, how to support students and provide them a ROI in degrees and certificates, and how
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1154/)
- [Congress created Workforce Pell. Now states must make it work.](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/congress-created-workforce-pell-now-states-must-make-it-work/) - Workforce Pell is no longer a policy idea. It’s becoming a governing reality. Congress created the program, and the U.S. Department of Education has now proposed rules for how it will work. Students can begin using the new program this July. What happens next depends less on the law than on whether states implement it in ways
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1153/)
- [Using the Richmond Fed’s way to measure student success](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/using-the-richmond-feds-way-to-measure-student-success/) - After seeing a presentation last fall by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond for its new measure of community college completion, Kevin Walthers decided to apply it to the rural college he leads in California. Using the Richmond Fed methodology, Allan Hancock College calculated a 41% success rate for students who enrolled in the 2020-21
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/newsmakers-354/) - CEO on the move Daniel W. Lufkin will become the eighth president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, effective June 3. Since 2021, he has served as president of the South Campus at Tarrant County College (TCC) in Texas. At TCC, Lufkin has led initiatives to expand access, strengthen academic and workforce programs, and improve
- [Washington Watch: ED releases accreditation ‘neg reg’ materials](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/washington-watch-ed-releases-accreditation-neg-reg-materials/) - In advance of the start of next week’s long-anticipated negotiated-rulemaking sessions (commonly referred to as “neg reg”) on accreditation, the Education Department (ED) has announced the negotiators and released draft regulations. The draft will be subject to two week-long negotiation sessions, in mid-April and mid-May. As has been the case with recent neg-reg committees established by
- [The Workforce Pell bar most programs won’t clear isn’t earnings](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/the-workforce-pell-bar-most-programs-wont-clear-isnt-earnings/) - When Workforce Pell passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the policy conversation immediately turned to one question: will our programs pass the earnings test? The data has a clear answer. Yes. Of 3,387 short-term certificate programs with measurable outcomes in PSEO, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes data, just two
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1152/)
- [House bill would authorize Strengthening Community College Training Grants Program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/house-bill-would-authorize-strengthening-community-college-training-grants-program/) - House Republicans on Monday afternoon introduced their bill to revamp the nation's main workforce development law, which would, in part, authorize the Strengthening Community College Training Grants Program. Introduced by Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-Michigan), the 506-page bill to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act -- titled A Stronger Workforce for
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1151/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/funding-roundup-439/) - Ellen and Joe Checota and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) announced recently the launch of the largest scholarship program in MATC history. The Second Ellen & Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program will provide $15 million for scholarships to help MATC students who aim to earn trade and technical certificates and degrees. The Checotas will gift
- [Metallica Scholars Initiative set to expand again](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/metallica-scholars-initiative-set-to-expand-again/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is accepting proposals for the next cohort of community colleges in the Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI), a national workforce development program supported by the rock band Metallica. With funding from All Within My Hands, the band's foundation, AACC will select up to 15 colleges as part of the
- [From intent to credential: Converting student progress into workforce impact](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/from-intent-to-credential-converting-student-progress-into-workforce-impact/) - Today’s priorities extend beyond enrollment growth to include credential completion, workforce alignment, adult learner re-engagement and return on investment. States and systems are increasingly measuring institutional success by how effectively colleges move students already in the pipeline toward meaningful credentials. Yet many institutions face a common challenge: students who have demonstrated intent stall before completion.
- [Trump’s FY 27 budget plan looks a lot like his FY 26 plan](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/trumps-fy-27-budget-plan-looks-a-lot-like-fy-26-plan/) - President Donald Trump on Friday released his fiscal year 2027 (FY 27) federal budget request, which includes funding requests for discretionary higher education and related programs. Additional documents, including the Education Department’s (ED) detailed justifications for proposed increases or cuts, are still forthcoming. The materials released so far indicate that Trump’s FY 27 request looks
- [Hidden in plain view](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/hidden-in-plain-view/) - Newly released reports from the Hidden Innovation Infrastructure (HII) research project reveals the roles community colleges play in regional economic development that are often unseen and underappreciated. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, the study sheds light on the many ways community colleges facilitate partnerships with industry that are
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1150/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1149/)
- [Re-focusing career navigation for students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/re-focusing-career-navigation-for-students/) - Now more than ever, the nation’s colleges and universities are being held accountable for job outcomes. From state-level accountability measures, to Workforce Pell, to the new earnings premium test that will soon apply to all postsecondary programs that wish to receive federal student aid funds, these new metrics go well beyond the traditional yardsticks of
- [Tackling the engineering shortage](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/tackling-the-engineering-shortage/) - A new white paper from a mechanical engineering association highlights how community colleges can expand opportunities in the field for students while addressing the country's engineer shortage. A two‑year initiative led by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and funded by the ECMC Foundation significantly expanded access to engineering education at community colleges, increased
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/funding-roundup-438/) - A $10,000 grant to Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) will support the Auxilium Center for Entrepreneurship, an initiative to expand access to entrepreneurial education in central Massachusetts. The grant is part of the Inspiring Generosity Matching Grant Program, which receives donations from the Esler Family Foundation. It will allow the Auxilium Center to scale programming, expand
- [Improving women’s experiences in internships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/improving-womens-experiences-in-internships/) - Editor’s note: This article is based on a paper, "The Road Less Travel: Women’s Internship Experiences in College Automotive Technology Programs," written by Townsend, Creamer and Mayhew, that has received the Distinguished Paper Award from the Mid-Western Educational Research Association and will be featured at the 2026 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting on April
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/04/headlines-1148/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1147/)
- [5 intentional shifts for the community college student success movement](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/5-intentional-shifts-for-the-community-college-student-success-movement/) - The movement to increase community college student success has never been short on ideas. For two decades, hundreds of institutions have reshaped what student progress looks like and the meaning of institutional responsibility. Faculty and administrators have redesigned developmental education, built guided pathways that put students at the center of their institutions, and launched strategies
- [Pay-for-performance: A new frontier for apprenticeship funding](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/pay-for-performance-a-new-frontier-for-apprenticeship-funding/) - While apprenticeships are surging in popularity — bolstered by a 2025 executive order aiming for one million new federal registered apprenticeships — some experts suggest that tying funding to results could be the key to long-term sustainability. The "pay-for-performance" (PfP) model represents a significant departure from traditional public funding, which typically provides money upfront for
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1146/)
- [Leading true systemic change: Relevance, momentum and student success](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/leading-true-systemic-change-relevance-momentum-and-student-success/) - Community colleges aim to expand opportunity and stay relevant to the people, employers and communities we serve. At Monroe Community College (MCC) in New York, we believe that to achieve different results for today’s learners, we need to redesign the systems that shape their entire experience. This is how we move forward together academically and
- [Navy pledges $30M to shipbuilding training in Alabama](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/navy-pledges-30m-to-shipbuilding-training-in-alabama/) - The U.S. Navy announced Monday that it will provide $30 million to the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) to modernize and expand maritime workforce training at four south Alabama community colleges. The funding will help the colleges to expand their submarine manufacturing and shipbuilding training programs and assist the Navy in building one Columbia-class and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1145/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/newsmakers-353/) - New CEO Jamonica Rolle will become president of Illinois Central College (ICC), effective July 1. She is currently interim college provost and senior vice president of academic affairs and college operations at Broward College (Florida). In its announcement, the Illinois Central College Board of Trustees cited Rolle's "demonstrated ability to deliver measurable outcomes in student
- [AACC supports a boost for Basic Needs Grant program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/aacc-supports-a-boost-for-basic-needs-grant-program/) - The American Association of Community Colleges is among more than 90 groups -- including six other community college organizations -- that are asking congressional appropriators to increase funding for the Basic Needs Grant program. The groups -- with include the Association of Community College Trustees, Bunker Hill Community College, Central Lakes College, Linn-Benton Community College,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1144/)
- [Expanding into drone security training](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/expanding-into-drone-security-training/) - A New Jersey community college known for its drone training is adding drone security to its program. Warren County Community College is enhancing its drone development and piloting curriculum with one of the nation’s first higher education programs to train professionals in protection against illicit or threatening use of the unmanned systems. The program is
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1143/)
- [Learning to embrace uncertainty](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/learning-to-embrace-uncertainty/) - No one tells you that becoming a community college president means carrying hundreds of stories with you every day. When I stepped into the presidency at Coahoma Community College (Mississippi), I believed my years of experience in higher education had prepared me well. I understood governance, budgeting, accreditation and institutional operations. What I did not
- [Washington Watch: AACC urges administration to reject revised certification for federal grants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-aacc-urges-administration-to-reject-revised-certification-for-federal-grants/) - Along with a series of other associations, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has communicated to the General Services Administration (GSA) its deep concerns about GSA’s proposal to alter the requirements for institutions to become eligible to receive federal assistance of any kind. This is the government-wide “System for Award Management” that GSA manages. GSA
- [Leveraging storytelling in politics](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/leveraging-storytelling-in-politics/) - Community college marketing and communications staff play a key role in providing the visuals and storytelling in a college's efforts to educate and influence lawmakers and other stakeholders. That may seem obvious, but it's sometimes an area that can be further strengthened as colleges build coordinated advocacy efforts that merge data with student and employer
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1142/)
- [Washington Watch: ED announces SIP eligibility](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-ed-announces-sip-eligibility/) - The Trump administration has formally launched the fiscal year (FY) 2026 eligibility process for the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) and potentially other Title III programs. The notification should appear in the Federal Register on March 24. The long-anticipated announcement has implications for other institutional aid programs. The FY 2026 education appropriations bill gives President Trump flexibility
- [Digital accessibility: More than a regulatory obligation](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/digital-accessibility-more-than-a-regulatory-obligation/) - How are you reading this article right now? Scrolling down a webpage? Flipping through a digital PDF? Maybe you’re listening to the computer read it for you? The way each person interacts with the digital world can be different depending on individual needs and preferences. Public institutions with more than 50,000 individuals in their service
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1141/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1140/)
- [Keep eLearning weird](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/keep-elearning-weird/) - If you've experienced a workplace printer malfunction or become a little too irritated when a coworker didn’t return a stapler, scenes from the 1999 movie “Office Space” likely flashed through your mind. The snarky classic, shot in Austin, Texas, by writer and director Mike Judge left an indelible mark on pop culture. Its main character,
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/newsmakers-352/) - New CEO Michael Waide, who has served at Pierpont Community & Technical College in West Virginia for nearly two decades in various positions -- including currently interim president -- will now become its permanent president. Pending approval from the state system, he will start on July 1. “Dr. Waide has demonstrated unwavering dedication to Pierpont
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1139/)
- [Treasury to handle defaulted student loans](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/treasury-to-handle-defaulted-student-loans/) - The Trump administration on Thursday continued with its effort to dismantle the U.S. Education Department (ED) by announcing that it would gradually transfer parts of the agency's $1.7-trillion student loan portfolio to the U.S. Treasury Department. The transfer will be phased in, beginning with Treasury assuming responsibility for handling defaulted student loans. ED said the
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/funding-roundup-437/) - With a $109,375 state Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Education Grant, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College can strengthen EMS training opportunities. The grant supports Wisconsin technical colleges in advancing emergency medical responder, EMT, advanced EMT and paramedic education while increasing institutional capacity and aligning with workforce needs. According to the college’s grant application, 72% of the 50
- [Matriculating to both sides of the aisle](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/matriculating-to-both-sides-of-the-aisle/) - At a time when many policy issues sharply divide the American public and their elected representatives, members of both major parties express support for community colleges as key drivers of upward mobility — perhaps none more so than legislators who got their start at community colleges. "It’s informed my work a lot," says Rep. Suzanne
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1138/)
- [Streamlining resources for student veterans](https://www.ccdaily.com/2024/11/streamlining-resources-for-student-veterans/) - The National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT) at Northland Community and Technical College (Minnesota) has added a veteran resource section to its website and will soon launch a portal that integrates information and services that veterans now often learn about via word-of-mouth. These digital resources and the advanced transportation center’s plans for new veteran-focused initiatives
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/reporters-notebook-239/) - ED/DOL announce first FY 26 TRIO grant competition State Department seeks hosts for regional Career Connections seminars AACC staff: Out and about ED/DOL announce first FY 26 TRIO grant competition The U.S. Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) departments on Tuesday opened this year's grant competition for the Talent Search Program, a TRIO program that helps
- [Washington Watch: House committee passes bill to fight Title IV fraud](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-house-committee-passes-bill-to-fight-title-iv-fraud/) - The House Education and Workforce Committee on Tuesday reported out three pieces of legislation to address financial aid fraud. Two of the bills passed with bipartisan support. The core bill, the No Aid for Ghost Students Act of 2026, requires the Education Department (ED) to proactively identify financial aid applicants who exhibit patterns associated with
- [Washington Watch: AACC analysis of proposed Workforce Pell regs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-aaccs-analysis-of-proposed-workforce-pell-regs/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) on Friday released its analysis of the U.S. Education Department’s (ED) proposed regulations for the new Workforce Pell program, which begins July 1. AACC will submit formal comments to ED and urges AACC-member institutions to engage in the process. Comments are due April 8. While the bulk of
- [More Latinos with STEAM credentials needed](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/more-latinos-with-steam-credentials-needed/) - A new report from Excelencia in Education highlights national trends in Latino degree completion in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), tying them into evolving workforce needs that require not only technical skills but human skills such as creativity, collaboration and problem-solving. The report observes that Latinos earned nearly one-third (31%) of all STEM
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1137/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/funding-roundup-436/) - San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) can make utility and water infrastructure improvements thanks to $500,000 in new federal funding secured by Rep. Juan Vargas (D-California). The funding was included in the House fiscal year 2026 appropriations legislation. The campus infrastructure improvements will strengthen SDCCE’s ability to provide hands-on workforce training to approximately 30,000
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1136/)
- [How community colleges can anchor civility in divided times](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/how-community-colleges-can-anchor-civility-in-divided-times/) - Civility is not just a cultural value. It is a leadership skill, a workforce competency and a community imperative. Colleges and universities have become frequent targets in today’s culture wars, scrutinized for how they handle speech, protest and identity issues. Most of that attention has focused on the Ivies and large universities, but community colleges
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/funding-roundup-435/) - U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) this month presented a $357,000 Community Project Funding award to the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) for its Project Impact program, which aims to increase student success and reduce recidivism among justice-impacted students. Founded in 2019, Project Impact provides students with the tools, credentials, skills and pathways necessary
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1135/)
- [Apprenticeships that come with degrees](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/apprenticeships-that-come-with-degrees/) - Brett Terry is a famous man at the 28,000-employee multinational packaging giant Sonoco after being featured as a 2025 Sonoco Champion Award winner in a video introduced by Sonoco’s corporate CEO, Howard Coker. Terry, now 28, has worked his way up the ranks at the 300-person Sonoco Wood Reels plant in Hartselle, Alabama. He now
- [Massachusetts to expand degree apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/massachusetts-to-expand-degree-apprenticeships/) - Six Massachusetts community colleges are partnering with employers across the state to launch new apprenticeship degree programs that combine paid, on-the-job training with academic coursework — connecting students to high-growth careers while helping employers close critical talent gaps. The apprenticeship degree model is new in Massachusetts but gaining momentum nationwide. Apprenticeship degrees take a long-proven
- [Start with a marketing strategy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/start-with-a-marketing-strategy/) - Community college marketers know the e-mail well. It usually arrives a few weeks before the start of the following semester. The subject line is brief: “Can you promote my program?” The message is not unreasonable, and the need for enrollment is true. And surely a flyer, an event or some ads will set all things
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1134/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/reporters-notebook-238/) - New DOL guidance on registered apprenticeships Arizona college keeps expanding into three-year degrees Kansas college to offer its first baccalaureate Concerns about loan services support for students New DOL guidance on registered apprenticeships The U.S. Department of Labor has issued guidance on registered apprenticeships to make it smoother and more consistent for interested parties to
- [A quick look at key community college stats](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/a-quick-look-at-key-community-college-stats/) - The number of credentials awarded at community colleges in 2023-24 increased by more than 90,000 from the prior year, according to the just-released Fast Facts 2026 from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Based on AACC analysis of federal data, awarded certificates saw the biggest jump, increasing 11% (or 77,645) from 628,838 to 706,483.
- [The long-term labor benefits of student supports](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/the-long-term-labor-benefits-of-student-supports/) - A new study sheds light on the long-term benefits of wraparound student supports on students' employment and earnings. The University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab examined how City Colleges of Chicago students who participated in services provided through the student success nonprofit One Million Degrees (OMD) were doing seven and eight years after using those
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1133/)
- [Workforce development is not a department — it's higher education's shared mission](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/workforce-development-is-not-a-department-its-higher-educations-shared-mission/) - According to a March 2026 economic news release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people not in the labor force but seeking employment remains at 6 million. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) is currently 1.9 million. However, this population has grown by nearly 27%,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1132/)
- [Broadening for impact](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/broadening-for-impact/) - Brandon Dyer owes his career in higher education to the federal TRIO program, which is designed to help low-income students, first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities progress through the academic pipeline from middle school through college. In 2010, Dyer was hired to counsel students from disadvantaged backgrounds at a North Carolina community college, with
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1131/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1130/)
- [Lessons from last year’s CCIC-winning team](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/lessons-from-last-years-ccic-winning-team/) - The Community College Innovation Challenge, co-sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation, challenges students to pitch a STEM-based innovation to address a real-world problem, with guidance from a faculty mentor. Members of last year’s winning team from Bergen Community College (New Jersey), who undertook a project called “Pop-Up Hydroponic
- [CCIC: A unique opportunity for students, educators](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/ccic-a-unique-opportunity-for-students-educators/) - The first phase of the Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is underway with community college students around the country considering how to use science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) to solve real problems. To participate in the competition, community college students must form two- to four-person teams that develop an innovative idea — no prototype
- [ED releases proposed Workforce Pell regs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-ed-releases-proposed-workforce-pell-regs/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Friday posted its proposed rules for the new Workforce Grant Program. The public will have 30 days to comment on the rules, starting March 9, when the official Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is expected to be published in the Federal Register. The proposed regulations are the product of
- [Washington Watch: House Farm Bill includes new community college grant program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-house-farm-bill-includes-new-community-college-grant-program/) - A committee-passed House bill to reauthorize the Farm Bill includes a new competitive grant program for community colleges to provide agricultural workforce training. The House Agriculture Committee on Thursday advanced the Food, Farm and National Security Act, which is described as a “skinny” reauthorization of the Farm Bill – the governing legislation for all U.S.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1129/)
- [WIOA revamp needed to boost employer-led training](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/wioa-revap-needed-to-boost-employer-led-training/) - As the demand for workers with technical skills and knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) increases, so is the call for the reauthorization and modernization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). At a March 4 hearing of a House Education and Workforce subcommittee, witnesses and legislators made it clear that updating WIOA and investing
- [A statewide approach to CPL](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/a-statewide-approach-to-cpl/) - Editor’s note: This is the second of two articles exploring how some community colleges are expanding the use of credit for prior learning. The first piece is here. In California, the statewide approach to awarding credit for prior learning (CPL) has happened organically over the last eight years. It started with wanting to help student
- [WIOA revamp needed to boost employer-led training](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/wiao-revap-needed-to-boost-employer-led-training/) - As the demand for workers with technical skills and knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) increases, so is the call for the reauthorization and modernization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). At a March 4 hearing of a House Education and Workforce subcommittee, witnesses and legislators made it clear that updating WIOA and investing
- [Will funding follow the kudos?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/will-funding-follow-the-kudos/) - During a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Democrats and Republicans lauded community colleges for their critical role in preparing students for in-demand jobs. However, the question is whether appropriators will back that enthusiasm with funding to support two-year institutions and their students. Democrats on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1128/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/newsmakers-351/) - New CEO Jeremy L. Pickard will become president of Southwest Wisconsin Technical College on July 1. He is currently vice chancellor of academic affairs at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. Over his career, Pickard has built strong partnerships with K–12 districts, business and industry, and regional organizations, according to a release from the college. He helped
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1127/)
- [Expanding credit for prior learning](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/expanding-credit-for-prior-learning/) - Turning prior learning, work experience, military service and other credentials into college credit can save students time and money. Despite that benefit, it’s been underutilized. Only about 11% of adult learners, for example, have benefited from prior learning assessment (PLA) – also referred to as credit for prior learning (CPL) – according to a 2020
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1126/)
- [Richmond Fed's new findings on community college students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/richmond-feds-new-findings-on-community-college-students/) - The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond has released some findings from its analysis of community college data from a growing list of states participating in the bank's Survey of Community College Outcomes (SCCO). The Richmond Fed's 2025 survey added five states (Arkansas, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Texas) in addition to the five states (Maryland,
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/funding-roundup-434/) - The Brunswick Community College (BCC) men’s basketball program celebrated a milestone night recently. Not only did the team on the court, but longtime supporters Joe and Moe Stanley announced the success of a new $80,000 fundraising effort. The Stanley brothers, who own Joe and Moe’s Automotive, presented their latest contribution to the Foundation of
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/reporters-notebook-237/) - Winners of the 2026 Bellwether Award ED guidance for recognizing new accreditors Winners of the 2026 Bellwether Award Three community colleges are winners of the 2026 Bellwether Award, which annually recognizes outstanding and innovative community college programs. SUNY Orange, Marion Technical College and Merced College received top honors this year. The Bellwether College Consortium, which
- [Making the case for funding increases](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/making-the-case-for-community-college-funding-increases/) - Community colleges will be front and center at a House appropriations hearing on March 4, where advocates will present to lawmakers key areas of federal funding for programs that support their institutions and students, from Pell grants to workforce development efforts. The invited witnesses include representatives of colleges that are members of the American Association
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/headlines-1125/)
- [Washington Watch: Red alert on Pell Grant funding](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/washington-watch-red-alert-on-pell-grant-funding/) - After years of running a healthy surplus, the Pell Grant program has slid into a serious deficit mode. Given the program’s essential role in promoting student success, this shortfall is of the greatest concern for community colleges. Any threat to its funding is a threat to the sector as a whole. The alarm bell was
- [New round of SCCT Grants focuses on Workforce Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/new-round-of-scct-grants-focuses-on-workforce-pell/) - The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Tuesday announced the opening of the sixth round of Strengthening Community College Training Grants funding, with a focus on programs seeking eligibility for new Workforce Pell grants. The announcement also directs funding for statewide community college systems or consortia of community colleges to foster workforce and education systems
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/03/newsmakers-350/) - CEO on the move Casey Sacks, president of BridgeValley Community and Technical College in West Virginia, is leaving the college to become chief financial officer at the U.S. Education Department (ED). In addition to serving as the college's CEO, Sacks also served as a consultant at the beginning of current Trump administration as the senior
- [Active shooter response in open-access campuses: Why lockdown-only doesn’t work](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/active-shooter-response-in-open-access-campuses-why-lockdown-only-doesnt-work/) - Open enrollment. Public access. Labs and clinics. Evening and weekend programs. Community events. Multiple entry points. Minimal centralized control. These features are central to the community college mission. Yet many institutions still rely on emergency response plans rooted in assumptions that don’t match how their campuses operate. Too often, campus safety planning defaults to a
- [From admission to enrollment: Closing the final mile](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/from-admission-to-enrollment-closing-the-final-mile/) - For many students, being admitted to college feels like the hard part is over. The acceptance letter arrives, the excitement builds and families start to picture the future ahead. Yet for thousands each year, that moment of celebration quietly fades into uncertainty. Somewhere between acceptance and arrival, momentum is lost. Institutions feel it, too. Despite
- [An open letter to California's next governor](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/an-open-letter-to-californias-next-governor/) - Editor's note: California Gov. Gavin Newsom's second term ends in January 2027. The election to determine his successor will take place in November. This article is an open letter calling for the new governor’s support on key requests from the state’s community colleges. Dear Governor ____________ , First, congratulations on your electoral victory. Second, as
- [The cost of 'free'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/the-cost-of-free/) - "Go to QCC for free!" boasts the website for Quinsigamond Community College (QCC), one of 15 public two-year institutions in Massachusetts. This clarion call has grown QCC’s enrollment from 6,491 in 2022 — the year before the MassReconnect free-tuition program launched — to 8,715 during the 2025 academic year. The 34% increase is partly due
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1124/)
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/snapshots-104/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Setting the tone for CTE](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/setting-a-tone-for-cte/) - Curbing the shortage of skilled workers across the country requires more robust awareness outreach to youth and focus on expanding registered apprenticeships as a workforce development strategy, according to a panel of witnesses who spoke before the House Small Business Committee this week. At Tuesday's hearing focused on career and technical education (CTE), several of
- [Strategy before technology](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/strategy-before-technology/) - Across higher education, artificial intelligence (AI) is already present in classrooms, advising centers and students’ everyday lives. However, many learners have uneven experiences. In one course, the faculty encourages students to use AI tools to support research or coding. In another, students are warned that any use of AI could be considered academic misconduct. Elsewhere,
- [What the public thinks vs. what students say](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/what-the-public-thinks-vs-what-students-say/) - New research from Lumina Foundation and Gallup shows a startling difference between what the public thinks about higher education and what students and graduates say. In general, while public confidence in higher education has steadily dropped over the past decade -- led by concerns about costs, politicization and workforce outcomes -- students and alumni report
- [Showcasing students’ creative expressions](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/showcasing-students-creative-expressions/) - At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping how students learn, write and create, authentic human voice has never been more essential. While AI expands access to information and tools, creative expression grounded in lived experience remains uniquely human. Across the nation’s community colleges, students are proving that originality, storytelling and artistic exploration continue to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1123/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/funding-roundup-433/) - Palm Beach State College (PBSC) announced more than $2 million in new federal funding to support the creation of the Quantum Innovation Center, a hub for education, research and industry collaboration. The grant was secured through a Community Project Funding request by U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Florida). The new funds build on $4.95 million from
- [Energizing the skilled trades pipeline through public-private partnerships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/energizing-the-skilled-trades-pipeline-through-public-private-partnerships/) - When local businesses and community colleges join forces, everyone wins. Partnerships just make sense, as they create a shared purpose between public and private organizations: building a dynamic and sustainable workforce pipeline. It’s a perfect match, because businesses need skilled workers, and community colleges need students to gain hands-on experiences. Here at Blue Ridge Community
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1122/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1121/)
- [Fostering student AI fluency for career readiness](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/fostering-student-ai-fluency-for-career-readiness/) - “You go ’round and around itYou go over and underI go through…” Those lines from the song “I Go Through” by O.A.R. feel uncomfortably familiar in higher education right now. Artificial intelligence (AI) did not arrive slowly or politely. It arrived embedded in workplace tools, search engines, writing platforms, data analysis software, and design environments.
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/newsmakers-349/) - Kudos DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, president of New York's Monroe Community College (MCC), has been named to the Rochester Business Journal’s sixth annual Power 100 List for 2026. It is her fifth consecutive year making the list. When asked by the magazine what decision or strategic shift in 2025 had the greatest impact on her college,
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/reporters-notebook-236/) - GAO: Room for improvement in helping disabled job seekers Texas college's museum recognized for community impact Washington college recommends some program closures GAO: Room for improvement in helping disabled job seekers A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report says disabled job seekers continue to face challenges accessing state and local workforce development programs. While state
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1120/)
- [Searching for K–12 and workforce-ready teachers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/searching-for-k-12-and-workforce-ready-teachers/) - The United States is facing a teacher shortage of historic proportions — one that now threatens both K–12 education and the nation’s emerging workforce agenda. The most recent estimates place the national K–12 teacher shortage at approximately 55,000 unfilled positions. More troubling, as of June 2025, 48 states and the District of Columbia employ an
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/reporters-notebook-235/) - AACC visits Office of the Vice President Gauging insights into noncredit programs Areas of job growth in January AACC visits Office of the Vice President Officials from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) this week visited the White House’s Eisenhower Executive Office Building for a meeting with the Office of the Vice President. AACC
- [Why community colleges are a top option for a new teacher pipeline](https://www.ccdaily.com/2024/08/why-community-colleges-are-a-top-option-for-a-new-teacher-pipeline/) - K-12 teacher shortages across the country continue to worry parents, politicians, policymakers and other stakeholders. Although it is a problem that requires a multi-pronged approach, public community and technical colleges can provide an affordable education pathway for many aspiring teachers. For example, there are about 2.5 million dual-enrolled students across the country, according to an
- [Leadership in the age of complexity](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/leadership-in-the-age-of-complexity/) - Higher education leaders often describe today’s environment as “complicated.” But complicated systems can be managed with expertise, hierarchy and careful planning. What we are facing now is different. We are leading in systems that are dynamic, nonlinear and deeply interconnected, where cause and effect are often visible only in retrospect. Presidents and chancellors feel this
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1119/)
- [Welcome to the AACC iHub](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/welcome-to-aaccs-ihub/) - The American Association of Community Colleges has launched a new communication tool for its members to have robust discussions about issues that affect their colleges, share ideas and more. Employees of AACC-member colleges can now log into the AACC iHub and connect with colleagues from other colleges working on similar projects, strategies and challenges. The
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1118/)
- [CCIC opens doors for students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/ccic-opens-doors-for-students/) - Briana Wood is used to getting invitations to speak at local and national events. Just last week, the Virginia Western Community College graduate came to Washington, D.C., to participate in a panel discussion at a workforce development meeting held by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Wood, who is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree
- [When strategy becomes a moral act](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/when-strategy-becomes-a-moral-act/) - When was the last time you took a moment to reflect on why you became an educator? For some of you, it has always been your lifelong dream to serve society in this manner. For others, perhaps it was a calling shaped by family, mentors or a pivotal moment in life that redirected your journey.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1117/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/funding-roundup-432/) - Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) will recieve $2 million in federal funding to support the expansion of the college’s high-demand imaging sciences programs by providing advanced medical imaging equipment. The funding was championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) to support the purchase of imaging sciences equipment, expand training capacity in radiologic technology and other programs
- [ED's focus on flexibility, innovation and data](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/eds-focus-on-flexibility-innovation-and-data/) - A top U.S. Education Department (ED) official emphasized last week the department's vision to give states greater flexibility in how they use federal funding and to streamline processes for colleges and students. Speaking at an American Association of Community Colleges event on workforce development on Thursday, Nick Moore, ED's acting assistant secretary for career, technical
- [Strengthening the workforce pipeline](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/strengthening-the-workforce-pipeline/) - Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) produces about 80 to 90 nursing graduates each year -- but the major hospital system in its service area needs about 500 annually. The supply-and-demand gap is even wider for surgical technicians, MRI technologists, lab scientists and other positions. That's according Raj Chand, president of Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, one
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/reporters-notebook-234/) - DOL unveils $145M for performance-based apprenticeships ED seeks to drop 'regional' from accrediting agencies ED opens public comment on FAFSA form What a growing Pell shortfall could mean for students DOL unveils $145M for performance-based apprenticeships The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Friday opened applications for $145 million in performance-based grants to grow established
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1116/)
- [Powering the pipeline](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/powering-the-pipeline/) - The U.S. manufacturing industry has more jobs available than skilled workers to fill them. This gap is forecast to widen further, with 3.5 million positions opening over the next decade, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. A new collaboration between the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and General Motors (GM) aims to bridge this growing divide.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1115/)
- [Paying for college made simple](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/paying-for-college-made-simple/) - After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree and spending a decade working in marketing, Liz Madsen knew it was time for a change. Marketing was not her passion. She decided to return to school to pursue a career in nutrition and dietetics. When she started at Kishwaukee College (Kish) in summer 2025 to complete core
- [Resilience is designed. Are you designing it?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/resilience-is-designed-are-you-designing-it/) - I returned from the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Workforce Development Institute (WDI) feeling excited about the leaders of today’s community colleges. Dr. DeRionne Pollard, the new president and CEO of AACC, and the first woman to hold that role in the organization's 105-year history, is not managing a transition. She's poised to
- [Snapshots: National Legislative Summit](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/snapshots-the-nls-edition/) - Photos from community college leaders' visits with members of Congress during this week's Community College National Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. The annual event is run by the Association of Community College Trustees with the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1114/)
- [Setting up high schoolers for shipbuilding careers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/setting-up-high-schoolers-for-shipbuilding-careers/) - Hanwha Group’s $5 billion investment in the Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc. (HPSI) means increased annual production volume and more job opportunities for skilled workers in the Philadelphia region. Now, through a unique partnership between Delaware County Community College (DCCC), Interboro High School and HPSI, 15 high school seniors are on a one-semester pathway that will
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1113/)
- [ED readies for Workforce Pell rollout](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/ed-ready-for-workforce-pell-rollout/) - The new Workforce Pell program is set to start in less than five months. But Nicholas Kent, under secretary at the U.S. Education Department (ED), isn't worried about it. He's confident the department will have the program ready to roll by then. The question is whether states, colleges and other stakeholders will be ready by
- [Looking back, thinking ahead](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/looking-back-thinking-ahead/) - A panel of higher education policy experts on Monday laid out the landscape for community college leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., as they prepared to visit with lawmakers to make their cases for two-year college priorities. The group began the discussion at the annual Community College National Legislative Summit (NLS) by reviewing the past year
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1111/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/funding-roundup-431/) - The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has awarded a total of $500,000 to 48 colleges and universities – including all 23 community colleges in the state – to address student food insecurity. The grants allow institutions to establish on-campus food pantries or partner with local food banks to provide food at no
- [Entry-level jobs in the age of AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/entry-level-jobs-in-the-age-of-ai/) - Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models are reshaping how work is organized across the economy, including the nature of entry-level employment. While concerns about job loss often dominate public discussion, the more consequential shift for higher education lies not in the disappearance of work, but in the changing nature of early-career roles. Tasks that
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1112/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/newsmakers-348/) - CEO on the move Rhonda Epper, who has served as president of Colorado's Trinidad State College (TSC) since 2019, will become president of Colorado State University Pueblo on March 23. As CEO of TSC, Epper oversaw a $45 million capital funding campaign and led efforts to change the college’s name from Trinidad State Junior College
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/reporters-notebook-233/) - State funding for higher ed cools Arizona college expands its three-year degree program Stronger system connections in Connecticut State funding for higher ed cools An annual report on state funding for higher education shows a slowing down in financial support over the past year after several years of robust growth. In addition, public two-year colleges
- [43.6%: The baseline for Lumina's new 'credentials of value' measure](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/43-6-the-baseline-for-luminas-new-credentials-of-value-measure/) - Last spring, Lumina Foundation announced a new national goal to steer more Americans toward good-paying jobs: By 2040, 75% of adults in the U.S. workforce should have a college degree or credential of value leading to economic prosperity. On Thursday, the foundation announced the country's current standing on that measure: 43.6%. The figure is part
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1110/)
- [Creating a pipeline for CNC careers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/creating-a-pipeline-for-cnc-careers/) - As production manager at Branch Medical Group, a medical equipment manufacturer based in Royersford, Pennsylvania, Brad Bouchard knows firsthand the demand for machinist computer numerically controlled (CNC) operators. His plant can’t hire them fast enough. “It’s very hard to find people to do that,” he said. “And in all honesty, really good operators right now,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1109/)
- [Exercise program draws dual-enrollment students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/exercise-program-draws-dual-enrollment-students/) - When Michigan's Montcalm Community College (MCC) launched its new exercise science degree this fall, the program gained immediate traction. Dual enrollment in local high schools quickly emerged as a cornerstone of the program, allowing students to earn college credit while building athletic performance and training skills before graduation. With strength and conditioning classes already established
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1108/)
- [Why community colleges must recenter learning in community life](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/why-community-colleges-must-recenter-learning-in-community-life/) - For more than three decades, community colleges have been asked to do more with less while continually justifying their value to students, employers and policymakers. Since the 1990s, accountability reforms and performance‑based funding have elevated workforce outcomes as a central measure of institutional success. Completion rates, credentials earned and job placement dominate dashboards and funding
- [When 1+1 = 0.5](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/when-11-0-5/) - We like to think teamwork is additive: Two people working together should produce more than they could alone. In practice, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, no matter how talented or committed the individuals are, differences in how people process information or approach tasks can make the sum of their efforts feel smaller than they
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/funding-roundup-430/) - With $355,000 in funding from United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Santa Monica College (SMC) is expanding its groundbreaking Homeless Service Work program — a training pipeline that equips students to become skilled street outreach workers, case managers and housing navigators. Launched in 2024 with seed funding from United Way in response to Los Angeles
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1107/)
- [Unlocking rural potential](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/unlocking-rural-potential/) - NEW ORLEANS -- A year ago, Tyson Foods closed a meat-processing facility in Emporia, Kansas, laying off 800 employees in a community of 24,000. Flint Hills Technical College (FHTC), which was part of a local rapid response team, quickly provided short-term truck-driver training to displaced "shag drivers," who handle the logistics of moving trailers to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/headlines-1106/)
- [Snapshots: WDI 2026](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/snapshots-wdi-2026/) - Photos from the American Association of Community Colleges' annual Workforce Development Institute, January 28-31, in New Orleans. (All photos: Evan Gummo/AACC)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/newsmakers-347/) - New CEOs Julius Edwards will become president of Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) on April 1. He comes from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, where he served in a range of senior leadership positions, most recently as vice chancellor of academic affairs. Edwards’ professional experience closely aligns with EMCC’s focus on access, student success
- [Working as an ecosystem](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/working-as-an-ecosystem/) - NEW ORLEANS -- When it comes to improving career opportunities, it's not just a job for community colleges. It's the job of a broader "ecosystem" that encompasses various organizations and partners to work together through shared goals. That was a key message from DeRionne Pollard, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges,
- [Washington Watch: Senate looks for path forward for funding bills](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/senate-looks-for-path-forward-for-funding-bills/) - It looks like the Senate will have a tight squeeze to pass an appropriations package that includes funding for education and workforce development programs before a funding extension expires on Friday night. As of Thursday afternoon, the Senate was still negotiating a path to pass the six remaining funding bills for fiscal year 2026 (FY26),
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1105/)
- [It's all about jobs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/its-all-about-jobs/) - NEW ORLEANS -- $66,000. That's the ambitious living-wage target that Arapahoe Community College (ACC) has set for its programs, whether in academics or workforce development. It illustrates that everything that the Colorado college does is geared toward good-paying jobs, said ACC President Stephanie Fujii. Even if students are majoring in, say, philosophy, its programs need
- [2026 Awards of Excellence Finalists](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/2026-awards-of-excellence-finalists/) - The American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Awards of Excellence underscore the association’s priorities and bring national visibility to promising practices among its member colleges. Winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala during the AACC Annual April 10-14 in Seattle. (Be sure to register for the convention.) This year’s Awards of Excellence
- [Approps package includes $170M in earmarks for community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/approps-package-includes-170m-in-earmarks-for-community-colleges/) - More than 110 community colleges across the country would receive thousands of dollars for special projects through the fiscal year 2026 appropriations package passed by the House last week. Lawmakers would send more than $170 million back home to the community colleges in their districts via “Congressionally Directed Spending” (formerly known as earmarks). The funds
- [Initiative aims to scale experiential learning](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/initiative-aims-to-scale-experiential-learning/) - The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) announced this week the launch of a three-year initiative to embed virtual, project-based, work-based learning (WBL) into short-term workforce training programs at 20 community colleges nationwide. The initiative aims to scale high-quality experiential learning that connects students directly with employers. It is supported by Google.org and built in
- [Utah college celebrates largest-ever group of Olympians](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/utah-college-celebrates-largest-ever-group-of-olympians/) - Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) will be cheering on its largest contingent of students ever to compete in the Olympics. A total of 15 current or recent SLCC students will be representing the United States in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in less than two weeks. This includes 13 (12 athletes and one
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1104/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/funding-roundup-429/) - New Jersey’s Hudson County Community College (HCCC) will use a $150,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to expand its HCCC Gateway to Innovation (GTI) Program by creating paid, work-based learning opportunities. Through the new GTI Experiential Learning Opportunities Program, students will have opportunities for job shadowing, mentoring and internships to boost their
- [Washington Watch: ED announces ‘neg-reg’ on accreditation](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/washington-watch-ed-announces-neg-reg-on-accreditation/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Monday announced its long-anticipated negotiated rulemaking to reform the accreditation system, which ultimately will result in new regulations. The department’s announcement comes in light of a high-profile executive order and numerous official statements by the Trump administration that reflect a deep dissatisfaction with the accreditation status quo. Recently, the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1103/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1102/)
- [2026 legislative priorities for community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/2026-legislative-priorities-for-community-colleges/) - The American Association of Community Colleges and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) have released their 2026 community college legislative priorities document -- better known as the “Green Sheet” -- ahead of the annual Community College National Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., February 8-11. This year’s priorities largely focus on federal funding, asking Congress
- [House passes FY26 funding package](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/house-passes-fy-26-funding-package/) - As expected, the House passed a bipartisan appropriations package late Thursday for the current fiscal year that includes mostly status quo funding for key education and workforce development programs of interest to community colleges. The measure now goes to the Senate, which is expected to vote on it this week, just before the current funding
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/reporters-notebook-232/) - 1/3 toward 1M apprentices DOL training grants to help homeless veterans 1/3 toward 1M apprentices The nation is about a third of the way toward President Donald Trump's goal to reach 1 million active apprenticeships, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said last week while on her “America at Work” listening tour. During her visit to the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1101/)
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/snapshots-103/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [How AI can transform student creativity, strategic thinking](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/how-ai-can-transform-student-creativity-strategic-thinking/) - Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly moved from novelty to inevitability in higher education. Students are already using AI tools, sometimes productively, sometimes problematically, often without clear guidance from faculty. The question is no longer whether AI belongs in our courses, but how intentionally we choose to use it. In my introductory marketing course, I recently
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1100/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/reporters-notebook-231/) - Long-term financial viability is a top concern for college leaders Pro baseball team eyes college campus for new stadium Chicago's new dual-credit barbering program Long-term financial viability is a top concern for college leaders Long-term financial viability is a top pressing concern for senior leaders at public two-year colleges, according to a new survey by
- [Navigating millage campaigns: A strategic guide for community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/navigating-millage-campaigns-a-strategic-guide-for-community-colleges/) - Community colleges across the country need stable funding to serve their students. Many get this funding through millage votes, where local taxpayers decide whether to support their community college with property tax revenue. Millage renewals often provide substantial portions of college operating budgets, funding programs that serve local education and workforce needs. When these proposals
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/newsmakers-346/) - New CEOs Terence L. Finley is now the eighth president of SUNY Corning Community College (New York). He previously was vice president and chief operating officer at Harris-Stowe State University in Missouri. At Harris-Stowe, Finley helped efforts to eliminate institutional debt, grow the university’s endowment, increase scholarships and institutional grants, advance financial aid initiatives, and
- [A call to community college student innovators](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/a-call-to-community-college-student-innovators/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), today launches its platform to advance student innovation and impact in STEM through the Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC). The annual competition aims to foster the development of students’ innovation, communication and entrepreneurial skills. It also enables students to discover
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1099/)
- [DataPoints: Transfer vs. vocational institutions](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/datapoints-transfer-vs-vocational-institutions/) - The media spotlight has zeroed in on trade-focused workforce development when it comes to community colleges. But the vast majority of students still attend public two-year colleges that are transfer-focused. This fall, nearly 2.2 million students enrolled in high-transfer public two-year colleges, compared to 950,906 who enrolled in high-vocational two-year colleges and 1.7 million who
- [Community colleges are not a fallback. They are a bold first choice](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/community-colleges-are-not-a-fallback-they-are-a-bold-first-choice/) - College enrollment increased again this fall, continuing a cautious recovery for higher education following the decline of the Covid pandemic. But it isn’t four-year institutions driving much of the growth. It’s community colleges. Undergraduate enrollment at public two-year colleges rose by 4%, with enrollment in career-focused certificate programs growing by 6.6%. And yet, even as
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1098/)
- [Approps bill would level fund several programs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/approps-bill-would-level-fund-several-programs/) - A bipartisan, bicameral funding bill for the current fiscal year would level fund several key programs of interest to community colleges, including the maximum Pell grant award, Federal TRIO programs, Strengthening Community College Training Grants (SCCTG), registered apprenticeships and Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS). The bill is good news for community colleges,
- [Student voice: The most important factor in institutional design](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/student-voice-the-most-important-factor-in-institutional-design/) - When I arrived at Forsyth Technical Community College (North Carolina) in 2019, the college’s three-year completion rate was just 19%. Graduating fewer than one out of every five students obviously was not good enough — either for local employers who needed skilled workers or for local residents who needed high-value credentials to get better jobs
- [Wanted: CDL students and instructors](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/wanted-cdl-students-and-instructors/) - While artificial intelligence has moved in on certain types of entry-level jobs, driverless trucking doesn’t seem likely to become a reality anytime soon, certainly not judging by the number of community colleges that have their chips cashed in on new or expanded commercial driver’s license (CDL) programs. The industry is always looking for qualified drivers,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1097/)
- [Workforce Pell has a lot of potential. How can institutions realize it?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/workforce-pell-has-a-lot-of-potential-how-can-institutions-realize-it/) - Short-term, career-focused programs have been growing faster than the data to measure them. Estimates from Credential Engine and the Harvard Workforce Almanac suggest there are now roughly 1.5 million unique non-degree credentials offered by about 20,000 issuers across the country. According to the Strada Education Foundation, more than 80 million Americans hold non-degree credentials. That’s
- [Washington Watch: Federal judge blocks TRIO grant cancellations](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/washington-watch-federal-judge-blocks-trio-grant-cancellations/) - A U.S. district judge on Friday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s cancellation and discontinuation of more than 100 TRIO grants during the fiscal year 2025 cycle. Over last summer and fall, several community colleges were among higher education institutions receiving notices that their TRIO grants would not be continued. The Education Department
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1096/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/funding-roundup-428/) - LaGuardia Community College will receive nearly $2 million from the U.S. Education Department’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to launch the LaGuardia Workforce Success Engine for Pell-Eligible Pathways. LaGuardia will use the funds to develop a menu of non-degree workforce training programs that it expects will be eligible for new Workforce Pell
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/reporters-notebook-230/) - Update on transition of programs from ED to DOL Texas college signs $16M program agreement with Army South Carolina college partners with Boeing on training Construction trades training to help rebuild after L.A. fires Fed Reserve on labor, AI Update on transition of programs from ED to DOL The Trump administration on Thursday provided an
- [Why community colleges can’t be fixed — they must be rebuilt](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/why-community-colleges-cant-be-fixed-they-must-be-rebuilt/) - As America's demographic, economic, political and technological realities continue to shift, so too do society's expectations of higher education and its community colleges. Resilient by Design, recently published by the American Association of Community Colleges, is a transformative guide for institutions to embrace the reality that resilience is not about absorbing disruption, but about being
- [Good fall enrollment growth, but…](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/good-fall-enrollment-growth-but/) - The community college sector continued to see enrollment increases this fall, again led by dual-enrollment growth, but it remains about 250,000 short of its pre-pandemic levels, according to new findings. Undergraduate enrollment across all higher education sectors grew 1.2% in fall 2025, driven primarily by a 3% increase (173,000 more students) in enrollments at community
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1095/)
- [The next 1,000 days: Higher ed in the Vera Rubin Era](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/the-next-1000-days-higher-ed-in-the-vera-rubin-era/) - Recently, I listened to NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show, where he introduced what he called the Vera Rubin Era. It was not a product announcement; it was a declaration that a civilizational threshold had been crossed. Huang was not describing faster chips. He was describing the emergence of AI factories
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1094/)
- [Colleges selected for EmployED](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/colleges-selected-for-employed/) - Eighteen community colleges will join a new initiative to close advanced manufacturing industry gaps. The EmployED Initiative is managed by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) with funding from General Motors (GM). The initiative is funding projects at AACC member colleges to support efforts to align community college talent with industry needs. This work
- [Can community colleges save the humanities — especially in the age of AI?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/can-community-colleges-save-the-humanities-especially-in-the-age-of-ai/) - In recent years, headlines have mourned the “death” of the humanities. Flagship universities are shuttering departments. Enrollments in English, history and philosophy are in freefall. Funding follows markets, and increasingly, those markets favor job-ready credentials and STEM pipelines. Amid this narrative of decline, one sector of higher education quietly stands in the breach: community colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1093/)
- [Rethinking the community college’s role in the new economy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/rethinking-the-community-colleges-role-in-the-new-economy/) - Community colleges have historically served as engines of regional economic development, drawing on strong community integration to translate labor market needs into accessible education. However, rapid technological change and the decline of entry-level jobs now require a recalibration of this mission. Traditionally, workforce programming has operated in a manner similar to a vendor model. Employers
- [DataPoints: Fall enrollments](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/datapoints-fall-enrollment/) - Public community college enrollment increased by 1.4% between fall 2023 and 2024, based on an American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) analysis of newly released data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Private, not-for-profit four-year colleges saw a larger increase with 2.3% more students in fall 2024, while public four-year colleges saw the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/35312/)
- [Navigating the AI revolution](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/navigating-the-ai-revolution/) - The final months of 2025 brought an unprecedented opportunity to immerse myself in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. Through three distinct conferences, each offering unique perspectives on AI's role in teaching, learning and workforce preparation. I gained invaluable insights that have fundamentally shaped my understanding of where we stand and
- [Washington Watch: Rulemaking panel agrees to accountability regs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/washington-watch-rulemaking-panel-agrees-to-accountability-regs/) - The Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated-rulemaking committee on Friday reached consensus on draft regulations that would implement a new accountability structure for nearly all Title IV-eligible programs. The vote defied the expectations of many observers who saw little hope for that result earlier in the week. Because the
- [Addressing the CTE faculty shortage](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/addressing-the-career-and-technical-faculty-shortage/) - In recent years, the United States has been grappling with a critical shortage of career and technical education (CTE) faculty, a challenge that jeopardizes the quality and accessibility of vocational education nationwide. This shortage also poses a significant threat to the workforce development pipeline and the future of CTE programs across the country, according to
- [DataPoints: Community college revenues](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/datapoints-community-college-revenues-2/) - Public community colleges received $79 billion in total revenues during fiscal year 2023-24. An analysis by the American Association of Community Colleges of newly released data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that roughly one-third of those revenues came from state government sources, one-quarter from local government sources and 20% from tuition and fees.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1092/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1091/)
- [Building a local fiber broadband workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/building-a-local-fiber-broadband-workforce/) - What started as a casual conversation about broadband fiber in the Johnston County Agriculture Center parking lot quickly evolved into a collaborative effort to explore how our combined connections, expertise and leadership could help meet the growing demand for broadband infrastructure and skilled technicians in the region. In fall 2024, the three of us —
- [New FIPSE awards to community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/new-fispe-awards-to-community-colleges/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) this week announced the recipients of the latest round of grant awards through its Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), with selections based on new program categories set by the Trump administration in November. Eighteen of the selected applicants are individual community colleges or two-year college systems, though
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/funding-roundup-427/) - The Boeing Company has awarded a $250,000 grant to Renton Technical College (RTC) to support the expansion of the Renton Promise program. Renton Promise offers up to full tuition coverage to graduates of Renton high schools attending the Washington college. “Our grant will help local high school graduates gain the skills they need for rewarding
- [Funding to expand registered apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/funding-to-expand-registered-apprenticeships/) - The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced Tuesday that it will pilot a pay-for-performance model in awarding $145 million to support registered apprenticeships in selected industries. The announcement comes a few weeks after DOL said it would provide $35.8 million to Arkansas to pilot a national performance-based registered apprenticeship program for advanced manufacturing. The Trump
- [Washington Watch: All community colleges exempt from new IPEDS survey](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/washington-watch-all-community-colleges-exempt-from-new-ipeds-survey/) - Reporting for a new Education Department data survey will be limited to institutions that “primarily” award bachelor’s degrees or higher, exempting all community colleges, including those that are mainly associate-degree institutions but offer limited baccalaureate programs. The U.S. Education (ED) last month announced that the White House Office of Management and Budget approved the final
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1090/)
- [Meeting the rural care crisis](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/meeting-the-rural-care-crisis/) - Throughout her 18-year nursing career, Mara Poynter has gained invaluable experience across a variety of treatment styles. From big-city critical care in Atlanta, to a stint as a flight nurse in San Antonio, Poynter understands the job’s emotional demands, as well as the complexities of the healthcare system itself. Providing quality nursing care in rural
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1089/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/newsmakers-345/) - New CEO Kathryn Rogalski will serve as the 12th president of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) in Michigan. She currently is vice president of academic affairs and workforce development at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), where she has served for more than seven years. Rogalski brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education
- [Washington Watch: Negotiated rulemaking focuses on accountability](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/washington-watch-negotiated-rulemaking-focuses-on-accountability/) - Negotiators return to Washington this week for the second session of the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated rulemaking committee. The panel’s first session focused almost entirely on Workforce Pell, while this one will concentrate on a new accountability system and related issues that will affect all of higher
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/headlines-1088/)
- [The hidden cost of unpaid balances](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/the-hidden-cost-of-unpaid-balances/) - Across the country, colleges and universities face a growing, but often unseen, financial crisis: unpaid student balances that quietly erode retention, revenue and trust. What begins as a missed payment can quickly become a registration hold, a withdrawn student or a lost future. For students, these balances often reflect confusion and stress rather than unwillingness
- [Fixing the transfer process](https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/fixing-the-transfer-process/) - Community colleges are widely recognized as the most affordable entry point into U.S. higher education. They enroll half of all undergraduates at some point in their academic journeys and serve as the primary access pathway for first-generation students, adult learners and students from historically underserved communities. Yet despite their leading role in access and cost
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/snapshots-102/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/newsmakers-344/) - CEOs on the move Marilyn Flores has been named the next president of San José City College, effective January 12. Flores has held a variety of leadership positions in her more-than 25 years of service within the California Community Colleges system, including most recently as superintendent/president of Rio Hondo College, a position she held since
- [5M FAFSAs filed so far](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/5m-fafsas-filed-so-far/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) reports that it has received 5 million federal student aid applications as of this Wednesday, up from the roughly 2 million submitted at the same time last year. The Trump administration compared the growth to the troubled rollout of the revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1087/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/reporters-notebook-229/) - ED to update Accreditation Handbook New BSIs named in California Bill offers employers tax break for training New Hampshire college designated national cyber defense center Green light for new baccalaureate program ED to update Accreditation Handbook The U.S. Education Department is seeking comments on how to re-envision and update the Accreditation Handbook, as it looks
- [When college costs hit hard, free course materials matter](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/when-the-cost-of-college-hits-hard-free-course-materials-matter/) - Costs associated with college aren’t trivial for Peyton Gire. For the Laramie County Community College (LCCC) sophomore in the Business & Accounting Pathway, the difference can be in the essentials. “The cost of college overall can add up quickly, especially if you are paying for housing, tuition and other fees,” he said. “Having that extra
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1086/)
- [The power of coaching: A twofold workforce development strategy that works](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/the-power-of-coaching-a-twofold-workforce-development-strategy-that-works/) - What do today’s community college students need to succeed? They face obstacles of all kinds, from tangible barriers such as lack of time, energy or money, to intangible ones, such as uncertainty, disillusionment or fear of an unstable job market. In our western North Carolina community, these challenges have only intensified since Hurricane Helene struck
- [ED's $15M competition to develop 'Talent Marketplaces'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/eds-15m-competition-to-develop-talent-marketplaces/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) is launching a new grant competition to develop and promote digital statewide systems -- dubbed "Talent Marketplaces" -- that include workers' credentials, learning and employment records (LERs) and similar documents to better align with job opportunities. Through the Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge, the department will provide up to 10
- [Flipping out or flipping the board](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/flipping-out-or-flipping-the-board/) - Is this post AI? What textbook is that? Why are there bolded headers? Wow, that student is using the work of a scholar I came across in graduate school! Awesome or cheating? Grading online discussion posts in the mid-2020s is different in unexpected ways. We are not face-to-face with these students, we do not know
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1085/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/funding-roundup-426/) - Central Community College’s (CCC) new automotive careers training center is closer to becoming a reality, thanks to a $20,000 donation from the Nebraska Rod and Custom Association (NRCA). The $23 million, 42,000-square-foot facility will be home to the Nebraska college's auto body technology and automotive technology programs. Construction is scheduled to be completed in late
- [Rigging up a successful career](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/rigging-up-a-successful-career/) - Sam Jeffries has always been passionate about film but was waiting for her opportunity to break into the industry. Fast forward to today, Jeffries is working on the set of Netflix’s “Ransom Canyon” doing what she loves. Before attending the CNM Ingenuity workshop, Jeffries went to Eastern New Mexico University to earn her degree in
- [Certificate trend continues for undergrads](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/certificate-trend-continues-for-undergrads/) - A new report released today shows that certificate programs continue to attract more undergraduates, indicating that many college students have a strong interest in short-term, lower-cost credentials that lead more quickly to job opportunities. For the third consecutive year, the number of completers whose highest earned credential was a certificate increased by 11.2% (53,0000 students)
- [Top 10 CC Daily articles for 2025](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/top-10-cc-daily-articles-for-2025/) - Below are the 10 most-read CC Daily articles for 2025. There was plenty of interest in Workforce Pell and workforce education, in general, as well as policy and politics around student aid and commentary on the humanities in the age of AI. House ed committee cuts Pell grants, approves risk-sharing Trump signs executive order on
- [The sincerest form of flattery](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/) - Community colleges are all about R&D, says Forsyth Technical Community College President Janet Spriggs. In this case, R&D means “rip off and duplicate,” a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Bellwether Awards, a long-standing program that champions innovative programming aimed at student success. “We love ‘R&D,’” Spriggs says. “Bellwether is a forum for identifying those programs you
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1084/)
- [Washington Watch: Consensus on Workforce Pell regs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/washington-watch-negotiators-reach-consensus-on-workforce-pell-regulations/) - A negotiated-rulemaking committee on Friday reached consensus on draft regulations to implement Workforce Pell grants that were enacted as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3) this summer. This is a significant, though not final, step in the regulatory process. The Higher Education Act (HEA) requires negotiated rulemaking for changes to the HEA
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1083/)
- [Washington Watch: FAFSA will flag schools with lower earnings](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/washington-watch-fafsa-feature-will-flag-lower-earnings-for-prospective-students/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Monday announced that the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will now display information to prospective students on whether graduates of their selected schools earn more than a comparable cohort of high school graduates. According to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) announcement, the new “lower
- [Credential count grows in the U.S.](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/credential-count-grows-in-the-u-s/) - The United States has more than 1.85 million unique credentials offered by more than 134,000 providers, with $2.34 trillion invested annually into education and workforce development, according to the "Counting Credentials" 2025 report from the nonprofit Credential Engine. The new report offers a current picture of the U.S. credential landscape, including how the shift toward
- [Opportunities, challenges in building the workforce pipeline](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/opportunities-challenges-in-building-the-workforce-pipeline/) - The Senate Subcommittee on Education and the American Family held a hearing Tuesday on advancing workforce development that featured work being done to close skills gaps and get people into living-wage jobs. But there also was talk about the need for more investments in career and technical education (CTE), and concern was voiced about the
- [Preparing community colleges for what comes next](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/preparing-community-colleges-for-what-comes-next/) - In reflection of 2025, community colleges and higher education experienced an array of events that led institutions to reevaluate their public value proposition, student experiences, commitments, academic programs, policies, partnerships, practices and strategies for advancing their respective institutional missions. Whether such considerations were spurred by the array of federal executive orders enacted by the Trump
- [Making LERs work for all Americans](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/making-lers-work-for-all-americans/) - The growing use of learning and employment records (LERs) -- comprehensive, digital records of credentials, skills and employment history -- was the focus of Wednesday's hearing of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. “A paper certificate can hang on a wall; a digital certificate can populate a job application, unlock a learning
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/newsmakers-343/) - Kudos Pam Eddinger, president of Bunker Hill Community College (Massachusetts), is a recipient of the Boston Business Journal Icon Awards: A Women Who Mean Business Program. Eddinger, who is one of 12 honorees, was recognized for her visionary leadership in widening pathways to higher education. "Dr. Eddinger has guided BHCC through a historic transition to
- [A one-person model for student support, workforce readiness](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/a-one-person-model-for-student-support-workforce-readiness/) - When Mohave College (Arizona) set out to strengthen career development for its rural, multi-campus population, the work began with a single staff member and a clear goal: ensure that every student has access to guidance, resources and a path toward meaningful employment. As the new director of first-year and career experience, I was tasked with
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1082/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1081/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1080/)
- [Developing the workforce for the data center economy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/developing-the-workforce-for-the-data-center-economy/) - A quiet but consequential shift is occurring in the United States economy. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and digital services is driving the proliferation of data centers across the nation. This growth reflects more than consumer demand or technological progress; it indicates a profound restructuring of the workforce that community colleges
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/funding-roundup-424/) - Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC) has received an $8,762 donation from McCall’s Supply, Inc., a local HVAC distributor, that will go toward scholarships for students enrolled in the South Carolina college's HVAC program during the summer semester. McCall’s Supply identified a growing technician shortage as a pressing issue for its dealer network and the HVAC industry
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/funding-roundup-425/) - In North Dakota, a $20,000 grant will expand hands-on learning for students in Williston State College’s (WSC) petroleum technology and automation programs. The funding, which came through TC Energy’s Build Strong program, helped the college purchase new lab and classroom training equipment. The new equipment comes at a crucial time for the program, which faced
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1079/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/reporters-notebook-228/) - New CV tech apprenticeship in Maryland AI-powered biomedical research program Bill would create grants for digital skills training New CV tech apprenticeship in Maryland Maryland's Howard Community College (HCC) and MedStar Health are launching a new cardiovascular technician (CV tech) registered apprenticeship program in January. HCC says it will be the first community college in
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1078/)
- [This week's poll: Over-relying on dual enrollment?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/this-weeks-poll-over-relying-on-dual-enrollment/)
- [When cold cases meet fresh eyes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/when-cold-cases-meet-fresh-eyes/) - When Autum Clay sits down to work on a case, she’s not analyzing a textbook scenario or watching a crime documentary. She’s poring over actual evidence from an unsolved investigation — crime scene photos, witness statements, decades-old leads that went nowhere. It’s painstaking work that can mean spending weeks stuck on a single detail, then
- [ED releases draft Workforce Pell regulations](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/ed-releases-draft-workforce-pell-regulations/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Thursday released materials for the upcoming session of the Accountability in Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated rulemaking committee, which begins its work on Monday. The materials include a meeting agenda, complete list of negotiators and, most notably, draft regulations for the Workforce Pell program. The
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1077/)
- [AI literacy through AI bots in the classroom](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/ai-literacy-through-ai-bots-in-the-classroom/) - In October, a terrified mother called the police to help her daughter in Fountain, Colorado. With her panic surging and fearing for her daughter’s life, she did her utmost to get help until she could be there. The triggering event? Her daughter sent a photograph of a homeless individual sitting in their living room. With
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/newsmakers-342/) - New CEO Richard Nelson, Louisiana's secretary of revenue, has been selected to serve as the next president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), effective January 1. "Secretary Nelson is a problem solver, a bridge builder and a leader who recognizes the critical role our colleges play in every region of Louisiana," LCTCS
- [Dual enrollment's impact on completion](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/dual-enrollments-impact-on-completion/) - New data show the impact of dual enrollment on college completion rates, particularly at community colleges. For public two-year colleges, students in the 2019 cohort who had prior dual-enrollment experience had a six-year completion rate of 57%, compared to 39.6% for students in the cohort who didn't take any dual enrollment -- that's a difference
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1076/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/reporters-notebook-227/) - New Jersey sees results in Some College, No Credential initiative Bounce back on FAFSA completions continues House bill to extend funding for campus veteran centers New Jersey sees results in Some College, No Credential initiative A new report shows an initiative in New Jersey to encourage learners who stopped out of college to return and
- [Tribal colleges benefit from MacKenzie Scott's latest gifts](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/tribal-colleges-benefit-from-mackenzie-scotts-latest-gifts/) - Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has, over the past few weeks, donated another round of much-needed funding to various nonprofits and educational institutions, including two-year tribal colleges. Last week, the College of the Muscogee Nation (Oklahoma) received $8 million from Scott's foundation, followed by a $9 million gift to Bay Mills Community College (Michigan) and $11 million
- [Urging more vets to try the trades](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/urging-more-vets-to-try-the-trades/) - Lawmakers on a House Veterans' Affairs panel want more service members transitioning out of the military to use their GI benefits toward training for trade careers rather than pursuing four-year degrees. During an Economic Opportunity Subcommittee hearing Tuesday exploring ways to improve transition services for veterans, members from both sides of the aisle discussed ways
- [Looking at optics through a new lens](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/looking-at-optics-through-a-new-lens/) - The optical systems technology program at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, was founded in the 1960s as the feeder program to train technicians for Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb and more than 150 other optics firms in the region. But 11 years ago, the program had dwindled to five students, did not have
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1075/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/headlines-1074/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1073/)
- [How community colleges can ensure their messaging stands out in the crowd](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/how-community-colleges-can-ensure-their-messaging-stands-out-in-the-crowd/) - The new academic year is right around the corner. Enrollment is teetering, and the pressure is on to make a big splash. Marketing teams hunker down with the enrollment office, and they develop a master plan: a messaging campaign that is a surefire way to drive applications, get butts-in-seats and reverse downward trends. Unfortunately, there’s
- [Why cyber hacks start in the boardroom ](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/why-cyber-hacks-start-in-the-boardroom/) - We’ve all seen the same letter repeated a thousand times: “We have recently experienced a sophisticated cyberattack performed by highly skilled threat actors. There is no evidence that your data has been misused. We take your privacy and security very seriously.” It’s not so much a notification as it is corporate Mad Libs… and it
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1072/)
- [Alumni return to pitch laser, photonics careers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/alumni-return-to-pitch-laser-photonics-careers/) - In a government laboratory in California, there’s a giant chamber where 192 laser beams can be shot into a target — providing key data for scientists. Maintaining those lasers and using computer software to help position the targets is the job of Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) alumnus Juan Martinez, who graduated in May from
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/newsmakers-341/) - Retirement announcements Barbara Gaba, president of Atlantic Cape Community College, has announced her plans to retire on June 30, 2026. She has led the New Jersey college for nearly nine years over her 40-year career in higher education. Gaba, who was the college's first female and first African American CEO, has been recognized for her
- [In retirement, a naval officer finds new passion: cars](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/in-retirement-a-naval-officer-finds-new-passion-cars/) - Rick Verhaagen isn’t interested in a quiet retirement. A retired Naval Submarine Officer who served his country for 24 years, Verhaagen’s impressive career has taken him from the engine rooms of aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines to the halls of NATO headquarters and the nation’s top nuclear facilities. Now, he’s on a new mission: pursuing
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1071/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/funding-roundup-423/) - Thanks to a federal grant of nearly $3 million, Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) is celebrating a newly installed 5G antenna tower and the West Philadelphia NTIA Network program. Goals of the program are to increase broadband wireless infrastructure, expand access to community-based broadband services and equipment and provide vital digital literacy education. The initiative
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1070/)
- [Leadership as a landscape](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/leadership-as-a-landscape/) - This past August marked 38 continuous years of my connection with the Contra Costa Community College District. I have served in nearly every capacity – from college student and student employee to part-time hourly staff member, full-time permanent staff member, adjunct professor, manager and executive-level roles, including president of Contra Costa College. Since February 2022,
- [CTE in dual enrollment, degree apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/cte-in-dual-enrollment-degree-apprenticeships/) - A House hearing on Wednesday focused on high school career and technical education (CTE) programs included discussions about dual enrollment and "degree apprenticeships" at community colleges. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-California), chair of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, started the hearing by highlighting how CTE can help bridge the skills gap
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/reporters-noebook/) - White House roundtable on higher ed House member seeks review of NJCAA policy on trans athletes ED's new acting COO of student aid White House roundtable on higher ed The White House on Wednesday held a roundtable with a small group of university and community college leaders, think tank officials and education advocates about value
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1069/)
- [Rolling up the sleeves on Workforce Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/rolling-up-the-sleeves-on-workforce-pell/) - Since Congress approved the Workforce Pell program this summer, stakeholders have been mulling how to implement it. To help inform those discussions -- which are happening at the national, state and campus levels -- the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and Education Design Lab, have convened an advisory group to survey the Workforce Pell
- [Washington Watch: Update on new IPEDS survey requirements](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/washington-watch-update-on-new-iped-survey-requirements/) - The U.S. Education Department’s new IPEDS admissions survey will exclude most two-year colleges, but it’s unclear if community colleges that offer bachelor’s degrees would remain on the hook for new reporting requirements. The Education Department (ED) last week released revised changes to the 2025-26 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) surveys, including the new Admissions
- [Succession strategies for tomorrow's leaders](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/succession-strategies-for-tomorrows-leaders/) - Community colleges face a critical leadership gap as seasoned administrators retire. Effective succession planning and leadership development are crucial for sustaining institutional excellence. The American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) has pioneered this work for more than 50 years through its LEADERS Institute, empowering thousands of women leaders. The LEADERS Institute is a
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/newsmakers-340/) - New CEOs Terence L. Finley has been named the eighth president of Corning Community College in New York, effective January 2. He currently is vice president for finance and administration and chief operating officer at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. State University of New York system leadership in its appointment of Finley cited his
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1068/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1067/)
- [The president's plan to dismantle ED](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/the-presidents-plan-to-dismantle-ed/) - The Trump administration on Tuesday unveiled its plans to outsource large swaths of the Education Department (ED) to various other federal agencies, including moving postsecondary education programs like TRIO and institutional aid to the Department of Labor (DOL). ED's federal student aid office will remain at the department -- for now. ED signed six "interagency
- [Study: Modest earnings gains from short-term training](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/study-modest-earnings-gains-from-short-term-training/) - A new study on earnings returns for short-term workforce education programs in Texas shows a modest but statistically significant increase in pay for participants over the two years following completion, though it varies by duration of programs, field of study and type of training. Workers earned about $2,000 more per year, on average, within two
- [Examining why students leave college](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/examining-why-students-leave-college/) - Nearly 40% of community college students don’t return for a second year, leaving the college without a degree or a certificate. Why are they leaving and can anything be done to prevent it? A new report from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) looks at survey findings from stopped-out community college students to learn more
- [Innovations to reduce college costs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/innovations-to-reduce-college-costs/) - A House hearing on innovations at colleges that reduce costs examined a wide range of cutting-edge programs, such as tapping AI to cut operational costs and sharing online programs. But witnesses and several House members cautioned not to forget the importance of federal investments in efforts to improve access and support for students. Community colleges
- [The growth of community college baccalaureates](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/the-growth-of-community-college-baccalaureates/) - The number of the community colleges offering baccalaureates is growing. What’s behind this growth? And what are some promising practices for colleges with bachelor's degree programs? Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) President Angela Kersenbrock – who also serves on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) board of directors – answers these questions and more.
- [Lowering barriers, driving successful outcomes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/lowering-barriers-driving-successful-outcomes/) - The financial aid office at a community college is often considered the "front door" of education. Yet, for many students, that door has traditionally felt like a barrier, guarded by red tape and intimidating forms. Edmonds College is among the community colleges that are rewriting the narrative. Through a focused commitment to student support, strategic
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1066/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1065/)
- [From Work Colleges to workforce campuses](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/from-work-colleges-to-workforce-campuses/) - With the fourth quarter of 2025 underway and the new year fast approaching, America's community colleges are preparing for mid-academic-year reviews that will prove critical amid an evolving political and economic landscape. One intertwined political and economic reality that must stay at the forefront of our minds is the milestone report published earlier this year
- [Economic impact of international students increases again](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/economic-impact-of-international-students-increases-again/) - Economic contributions by international students at community colleges increased for the third consecutive year, with nearly 64,000 students contributing $2.2 billion and supporting 9,099 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2024-2025 academic year, according to a new analysis released today. That's a 10.5% increase, but significantly less than last year’s growth of 33%. The
- [Snapshots: AACC 2025 Fall Meetings](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/snapshots-aacc-2025-fall-meetings/) - Candids from the AACC 2025 Fall Meetings (AACC commission, committee and board meetings), November 12-14, in Arlington, Virginia. (Photos: Mark Finkenstaedt/AACC)
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/snapshots-101/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1064/)
- [Why community colleges can’t sit this one out](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/why-community-colleges-cant-sit-this-one-out/) - It is no secret that the past year has presented challenges for higher education at the federal level. Colleges have had to deal with a slew of executive orders, cuts or freezes to key grant programs, shifting priorities and new leadership at the Education Department, a government shutdown and potentially devastating budget cuts in the
- [Developing a 'strategic compass' for community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/developing-a-strategic-compass-for-community-colleges/) - The new leader of the nation's main community college association on Wednesday called on member colleges to position themselves more prominently in serving the nation's educational and workforce development needs and to cast a brighter spotlight on their work. DeRionne Pollard, who is six weeks into her tenure as president and CEO of the American
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1063/)
- [Reawakening the civic mission of community](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/reawakening-the-civic-mission-of-community/) - Community colleges were founded on the conviction that higher education should serve as a public good — open, inclusive and responsive to the needs of all citizens. Emerging from the democratic ideals of access, equity and collective advancement, these institutions prepare informed and engaged individuals capable of sustaining both the economic vitality and the civic
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1062/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/newsmakers-339/) - New CEO Tashika Griffith has been named president of Virginia's Germanna Community College, effective January 1. She currently is provost and chief campus officer at the Clearwater Campus of St. Petersburg College (SPC) in Florida. Griffith joined SPC in 2016 and has held other positions, including interim dean of the College of Education, assistant provost
- [The road to wellness](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/the-road-to-wellness/) - The challenges faced by community college students compared to their “traditional” peers are well-documented. These learners are often older and derive from low-income or working-class backgrounds. They’re also more likely to be caretakers for children or aging parents, even as they’re the first members of their family to attend college. These familiar obstacles can generate
- [Community colleges again lead enrollment increases](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/community-colleges-again-lead-enrollment-increases/) - Undergraduate enrollments for this fall are up again, with community colleges again seeing the largest rate increase, according to preliminary reporting to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center. Overall undergraduate enrollment is up 2.4% so far, with increases in all sectors, though community colleges are leading with a 4.0% boost, compared to 1.9% at
- [Washington Watch: ED announces new FIPSE grants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/washington-watch-ed-announces-new-fipse-grants/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Monday announced a slate of new programs under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to support initiatives related to artificial intelligence (AI), civic discourse, accreditation and short-term credential programs. The latter initiative may be of particular interest to community colleges that are gearing up for Workforce
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/funding-roundup-422/) - Gadsden State Community College’s automotive service technology program has received a $16,000 donation from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Foundation. The Alabama college’s automotive service technology program prepares students for employment as entry-level automotive technicians and provides advanced training in diagnostics, repair and maintenance of today’s complex vehicles. “When talking to dealerships, their biggest
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1061/)
- [DataPoints: Veterans in community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/datapoints-veterans-in-community-colleges/) - Nearly half (46.7%) of all student veterans were enrolled in public community colleges in the 2019-20 academic year (the most recent year with this data). Veterans comprised 4.2% of all community college students — a higher percentage than those attending four-year colleges, but below for-profit colleges (8.1% of their students were veterans). Figure 2 presents
- [Washington Watch: Rulemaking panel in sync on loan changes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/rulemaking-panel-in-sync-on-loan-changes/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Thursday wrapped up its second and final negotiated-rulemaking meeting focused on student loan programs to address changes directed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Despite significant debate around key issues -- most notably the definition of a professional student for the purpose of annual and aggregate loan limits
- [A Marine's new mission: Building military pathways for today's students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/a-marines-new-mission-building-military-pathways-for-todays-students/) - As Veterans Day approaches, we pause to honor the men and women who have served our nation with courage and commitment. But for many veterans, the spirit of service doesn’t end with their military careers. Instead, it evolves, finding new forms and new missions. For me, a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine
- [You've won the lottery jackpot! Now what?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/youve-won-the-lottery-jackpot-now-what/) - Dear winner of the Mega Millions lottery jackpot: Congratulations, and WOW! After the longest streak without a jackpot winner since the game began in 2002, with a haul of $843 million, even after federal and state taxes, you’ll be pocketing a whopping $392 million or so. Not bad for dropping a few bucks on a Slurpee
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1060/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1059/)
- [Better transparency to inform college decisions](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/better-transparency-to-inform-college-decisions/) - A Senate hearing on Thursday focused on improving college financial transparency -- from total costs and student aid packages, to acceptance and completion figures -- to help students and families make more informed choices when selecting a college. While the bulk of the conversation during the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing centered
- [ICYMI: Coverage of ATE 2025](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/icymi-coverage-of-ate-2025/) - A compilation of CC Daily articles on the 2025 Advanced Technological Education Principal Investigators’ Conference October 29-31. Living proof of being resilient by designAt Wednesday’s kick-off of the annual Advanced Technological Education Principal Investigators Conference in Washington, D.C., community college advocates encouraged attendees to stay strong, despite political, economic and technological challenges. Students champion ATE
- [Snapshots: Photos from 2025 ATE conference](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/snapshots-100/) - Candids from the 2025 Advanced Technological Education Principal Investigators' Conference in Washington, D.C., this week. (All photos by EPNAC)
- [Refocused on apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/refocused-on-apprenticeships/) - A wide-ranging Senate hearing on expanding apprenticeships held on Wednesday included discussions on the critical role that community colleges can play in growing the programs in industries that need skilled workers. The hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee included views from employers, unions and others, addressing ways to lessen red
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1058/)
- [Community college sticker price up 2.7%](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/community-college-sticker-price-up-2-7/) - The average 2025-26 tuition-and-fees sticker price for public two-year colleges is $4,150, which is an increase of 2.7% (or $110) for full-time students compared to last fall, according to an annual report on college pricing and student aid trends from the College Board. The published tuition and fees for full-time, in-district students this fall at
- [Community college sticker price up 2.5%](https://www.ccdaily.com/2024/10/community-college-sticker-price-up-2-5/) - The average 2024-25 tuition-and-fees sticker price for public two-year colleges is $4,050, which is an increase of 2.5% (or $100) for full-time students compared to last fall, according to an annual report on college pricing and student aid trends from the College Board. The published tuition and fees for full-time students this fall at community
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1057/)
- [Meals for students on SNAP](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/meals-for-students-on-snap/) - Community colleges are joining other organizations in intensifying their efforts to combat student hunger as uncertainty persists over funding for the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Two federal judges last week directed the Trump administration to use available emergency funds to keep SNAP benefits going. While the White House said on Monday it
- [The future of farming in the Garden State](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/the-future-of-farming-in-the-garden-state/) - Two New Jersey community colleges have collaborated on a unique forum about the future of agriculture in the northwest part of the state, bringing together leaders in farming, education and politics with the hope of creating a catalyst to support and modernize a key sector of the state’s economy. Leaders from Sussex County Community College
- [Students champion ATE on Capitol Hill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/students-champion-ate-on-capitol-hill/) - For most of the 52 community college students and alumni who participated in the 2025 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference’s student poster session last week, it was their first time in Washington, D.C. For all but a few, the conference was also the first time they had presented their work at a professional conference. At a
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/funding-roundup-421/) - Thirteen Massachusetts community colleges have received state-funded Training Resources and Internships Network (TRAIN) grants totaling about $1.5 million. The funding will allow colleges to provide training opportunities to more than 500 unemployed and under-employed people across the state. “Free community college has opened doors for thousands of students, and these TRAIN grants will open even
- [ATE open ed materials now available](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/ate-open-ed-materials-now-available/) - The open education materials developed by Advanced Technological Education (ATE) centers and projects are now available through the free STEMLink service for easy uploading to community colleges’ learning management systems. The resources include full courses as well as modules, videos, lab exercises, assessments and a wide array of materials that ATE grantees have created and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1056/)
- [Sharing expertise, learning is jewel of ATE](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/sharing-expertise-learning-is-jewel-of-ate/) - Futurist, economist and author Shawn DuBravac told the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) principal investigators that the way they collaborate is their “superpower.” At a time when many enterprises focus on protecting proprietary information, DuBravac said ATE grantees’ willingness to share the outcomes of their National Science Foundation-funded work stood out to him during his study
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/headlines-1055/)
- [Emerging tech trends in manufacturing](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/emerging-tech-trends-in-manufacturing/) - During her presentation at the 2025 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Principal Investigators’ Conference, Karen Wosczyna-Birch shared that a recent survey in Connecticut found that the biggest challenge facing manufacturers and manufacturing educators is not that young people misperceive manufacturing workplaces as dirty or noisy. The real issue is that many people have no idea how
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1054/)
- [Sparks of creativity and collaboration](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/sparks-of-creativity-and-collaboration/) - Fifty-seven students and recent alumni of Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects shared their work during a poster session this week at the 2025 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference in Washington, D.C. Many of the students displayed findings from authentic research projects, others focused on what they accomplished during internships, and some documented the hands-on learning they
- [New funding opportunities in advanced manufacturing, microelectronics  ](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/new-funding-opportunities-in-advanced-manufacturing-microelectronics/) - Community colleges are eligible to participate in two federal initiatives — the SMART USA Institute and National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) — that have funds for advanced manufacturing and microelectronics education programs. “There are a lot of great opportunities. In order to do it, we have got to show up,” said Jared Ashcroft, principal
- [Expanding broadband access as a catalyst for economic stability](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/expanding-broadband-access-as-a-catalyst-for-economic-stability/) - Access to high-speed internet has become as essential to modern life as electricity or clean water. In today’s economy, broadband connectivity is the foundation for education, employment, healthcare and innovation. That is why I am proud to share that Richland County and the broader U.S. 30 corridor have achieved a significant victory: $20 million in
- [Living proof of being resilient by design](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/living-proof-of-being-resilient-by-design/) - They gathered in the nation's capital during a prolonged federal government shutdown. Right before the stoppage, congressional Republicans eyed to further cut federal spending -- perhaps even trimming funding for the very program that supports the group's education efforts. Adding to the pressure they face are economic uncertainties and rapid technological changes that are drastically
- [The value of innovation](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/the-value-of-innovation/) - The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has been a champion of STEM technician education at community college for 75 years, navigating generations of students to sustainable career opportunities. That progress is now jeopardized by extensive federal budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration, which call for a 56% reduction in the $9 billion NSF budget.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1053/)
- [Linking economic development with workforce development](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/linking-economic-development-with-workforce-development/) - While most community college leaders verbally connect workforce and economic development, there is often little understanding beyond asserting this connection. As a result, community colleges have been unable to articulate a vision that emphasizes economic development as central to their work. Questions thus remain. What should be community colleges’ role in economic development? How
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/funding-roundup-420/) - Central Carolina Community College’s (CCCC) Drive MOORE Solutions Capital Campaign kicked off with a big boost: a $500,000 challenge match from an anonymous lead donor who believes in doubling the community’s impact. Between now and December 31, every dollar donated to the CCCC Foundation in support of the campaign will be matched, up to $500,000.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1052/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/reporters-notebook-226/) - 276,000 CC students could lose CalFresh benefits More complete student data among AACC's recommendations White House withdraws ED nomination Higher ed seeks exemption from new H-1B fee 276,000 CC students could lose CalFresh benefits A new analysis shows that many community college and other higher education students could lose access to CalFresh benefits on November
- [A look at Latinos in CCB programs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/a-look-at-latinos-in-ccb-programs/) - The rate of Latino students enrolling in and graduating from community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs is growing, which is also leading to positive post-graduate outcomes. A new brief from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI) looks at the ups and downs of CCB programs in four states: California, Florida, Texas and Washington. It focuses
- ['Culture of caring' blossoms, but there's room to grow](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/culture-of-caring-blossoms-but-theres-room-to-grow/) - Since the Covid pandemic, community colleges have increased efforts to provide more services to students to help them overcome challenges and succeed in college. But a significant number of students don't tap those services -- from basic needs, to mental health -- often because they feel uncertain. A new report from the Center for Community
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1051/)
- [Paying out of pocket](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/paying-out-of-pocket/) - Nondegree credentials (NDCs) continue to gain popularity, but most learners pay for them out of pocket, according to a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Attainment of NDCs -- which include certificates and licenses, and can range in time from a few weeks to less than a year -- tripled from 2009 to 2021,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1050/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/newsmakers-338/) - Interim CEO Taylor Crawshaw will become interim president of Independence Community College (ICC), effective December 1. She is currently the Kansas college's vice president for academic affairs. Over her decade of service at ICC, Crenshaw has led initiatives that have expanded academic opportunities, improved student support systems and enhanced the college’s connection to workforce development
- [Snapshot](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/snapshot/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/reporters-notebook-225/) - Senate Democrats blast McMahon for latest firings Focused on data-informed strategies State guide on Workforce Pell Senate Democrats blast McMahon for latest firings Several Democratic senators are warning U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon that the latest firings at the department will have dramatic effects on critical programs in K-12 and postsecondary education, especially for students
- [Teacher prep program for teaching assistants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/teacher-prep-program-for-teaching-assistants/) - After six weeks of filling in as a teacher, Amanda Morse looked at her students and thought, “I can do this.” That confidence boost helped lead Morse, a teaching assistant, to check out Central Carolina Community College’s (CCCC) teacher preparation associate degree program. Morse was among the attendees at a recent “TA to Teacher” information
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1049/)
- [AACC comments on proposed changes to 'E-App'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/aacc-comments-on-proposed-changes-to-e-app/) - In a letter this week to the U.S. Education Department (ED) on proposed changes to the application colleges use to participate in federal student aid programs (called the E-App), the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) repeated a common concern: participation agreements, recertification and program review procedures are extremely burdensome and should be improved. AACC
- [Offering affordable baccalaureates](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/offering-affordable-baccalaureates/) - A new report finds that tuition and fees at community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs are considerably less than for bachelor's degree programs at a public four-year institution -- in some states, less than half -- and that a larger percentage of students in CCB programs receive student aid. The new research by Elizabeth Meza, a
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1048/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/funding-roundup-419/) - Wallace Community College-Dothan (WCCD) has received more than $2.7 million from the Alabama Community College System as part of the Alabama Centers for Rural Healthcare Opportunity legislative appropriation. The grant will fund "Neighbors in Health: Rural Healthcare Training Close to Home," an initiative designed to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce, expand training opportunities in southeast
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1047/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/newsmakers-337/) - New CEO Alycia Marshall, who has served as interim president at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) since May, is now the college's permanent president. She previously was CCP's provost and vice president for academic and student success. "After a nationwide search, it has become evident that Dr. Marshall demonstrates the clear vision and outstanding
- [DataPoints: Recent enrollment trends](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/datapoints-recent-enrollment-trends/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) recently released new data on full-year enrollments and credentials awarded by postsecondary institutions. This DataPoints examines the trends in these data for community colleges starting with the first year of the Covid pandemic. Public community college enrollment in fall 2019 was nearly 7.2 million students; two years later, enrollment dropped
- [DataPoints: An increase in short-term credentials](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/datapoints-an-increase-in-short-term-credentials/) - Public community colleges awarded more than 1.52 million credentials in the 2023-24 academic year, according to recently released data from the U.S. Education Department. The total number of credentials dropped in academic year (AY) 2019-20 (the first year of the pandemic) and only began to recover in the most recent year reported. However, the trends
- [When every pocket becomes a supercomputer](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/when-every-pocket-becomes-a-supercomputer/) - When I walk across our campuses, I see students and employees engaged with their mobile phones, tablets and laptops. Each of those devices is now a portal not just to information, but to intelligence. With a few taps, they can use generative AI to write essays, translate languages, code software or design works of art.
- [Higher education’s talent pipeline is clogged with half-finished doctorates](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/higher-educations-talent-pipeline-is-clogged-with-half-finished-doctorates/) - With a new academic year in full swing, millions of students are just setting out on their college journeys. But for many of their professors, advisors and mentors, an important academic journey of their own stalled long ago. While precise data are scarce, studies suggest that as many as half of all doctoral candidates never
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1046/)
- [Changing childcare offerings at community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/changing-childcare-offerings-at-community-colleges/) - For parenting students, accessible childcare can be a lifeline and a necessity in order to stay in college. While many community colleges provide childcare on campus, some work with community partners to connect students to off-campus childcare. Other colleges have made the difficult decision to shut down their childcare centers. Doing what’s right for the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1045/)
- [Why Alabama is ahead of the curve on Workforce Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/why-alabama-is-ahead-of-the-curve-on-workforce-pell/) - Following a decade-long effort, federal funding for learners to attend short-term workforce training programs became law this summer. But the creation of Workforce Pell grants is not the end of a long journey for policymakers. It’s just the beginning. With the clock ticking toward July 1, 2026 — the date when learners can begin using Workforce
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/newsmakers-336/) - Obituary Kathy S. Love, who served as president of Savannah Technical College (Georgia) from 2009 until her retirement in 2024, passed away on October 10. She was 69. Several key projects were completed during Love’s tenure, including the college's Aviation Training Center and Student Enrichment Center, and the successful transfer of the associate of science in
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1044/)
- [Beyond the playbook: Why adaptive leadership matters now](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/beyond-the-playbook-why-adaptive-leadership-matters-now/) - In an era marked by rapid shifts in enrollment patterns, funding models, technological disruption and public expectations, community college leaders face challenges that extend far beyond their traditional problem-solving methods. These are adaptive challenges, marked by complexity and ambiguity, where no single solution fits all. They push leaders to move beyond their routine operations and
- [Efforts driving enrollment increases](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/efforts-driving-enrollment-increases/) - Incoming fall enrollment figures from community colleges continue to reflect the general uptick in the sector over the last few years, following an unprecedented drop during the Covid pandemic. While dual enrollment remains a significant force in overall enrollment increases, other factors are also driving these numbers, such as a continued surge in interest in
- [Bracing for impact](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/bracing-for-impact/) - America is headed for a labor shortage crisis in the coming years, and we may not even be aware of it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. employed population is approximately 163.39 million. Comparatively, the total civilian labor force, which comprises the total employed and unemployed, is approximately 168.1 million
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1043/)
- [Expanding dual enrollment into CTE](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/expanding-dual-enrollment-into-cte/) - A new Community College Research Center (CCRC) report examining accelerated coursework at Texas high schools is calling for the expansion of dual enrollment to career and technical education (CTE) programs. CCRC studied the crossover between students taking dual enrollment (DE) and other accelerated programs, such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Early College
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1042/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1041/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/funding-roundup-418/) - The West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) Foundation announced recently a $1 million gift from Eric Bressner in memory of his father, Stanley H. Bressner. The donation will establish new endowments, advance capital projects and strengthen workforce initiatives across all WGTC campuses. The scholarship will provide support for students pursuing careers in manufacturing and skilled trades
- [From default risk to student success: Rethinking repayment support at community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/from-default-risk-to-student-success-rethinking-repayment-support-at-community-colleges/) - New data show repayment distress is surging. Institutions that act early can turn a liability into a long-term success strategy. Repayment has returned, and community colleges are feeling the impact. As of mid-2025, more than 18 million borrowers are in active federal student loan repayment, and the transition has been anything but smooth: the Federal
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/newsmakers-335/) - On the move John Cook, who has served as president of Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) in Massachusetts for nearly a decade, has announced he will step down next summer. Cook became STCC’s sixth president in 2016 and led the college through a significant period of growth and change, including the challenges brought on by
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1040/)
- [Washington Watch: AACC asks members to respond to IPEDS information request](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/washington-watch-aacc-asks-members-to-respond-to-ipeds-information-request/) - A new admissions data collection system proposed by the U.S. Education Department (ED) would result in a significant increase in reporting to the federal government and, for community colleges, data collection on students altogether. In August, President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum on transparency and reporting of college admissions data for Title IV-participating institutions. It
- [Staying the course on reforms](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/staying-the-course-on-reforms/) - In the decade since Redesigning America’s Community Colleges was published, we have had the privilege of studying the efforts by community colleges nationwide to implement whole-college reforms based on the guided pathways model it proposed. We know from this research that enacting these reforms is multifaceted, challenging and time-consuming. Why, then, should community colleges and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1039/)
- [DataPoints: Revenue by source](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/datapoints-revenue-by-source/) - State governments remain the largest source of revenue for community colleges, followed by local governments and then tuition, according to an analysis by the American Association of Community Colleges of data from the National Center for Education Statistics. States contribute $25.9 billion (34.4%) of the $75.3 billion in revenue to community colleges, according to the
- [Assessing the landscape](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/assessing-the-landscape/) - A new report on the landscape of Virginia community colleges illustrates the massive shifts that have occurred over the last decade in interest in workforce development and dual-enrollment programs, modes of delivering courses and more. While enrollments at community colleges have been steadily rising since largely tanking during the Covid pandemic, they still are behind
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1038/)
- [Three key elements of transformative leadership](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/three-key-elements-of-transformative-leadership/) - As college administrators, we face a range of challenges, from moderate to very stormy situations. Inheriting a department, division or even an entire institution that is essentially in “good order” will require applying solid administrative knowledge and competencies to carry on. However, we all know you won't be that lucky every time. Inevitably, you find
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1037/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/newsmakers-334/) - New CEO Kendricks D. Hooker will become the next president of Augusta Technical College in Georgia, effective January 2. He comes from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences (North Carolina), where he has served as provost since 2023. “Dr. Hooker is an accomplished leader with a proven record of advancing student outcomes and building strong academic
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1036/)
- [Providing specialized microscopy technician training](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/providing-specialized-microscopy-technician-training/) - Oregon’s role as a semiconductor manufacturing powerhouse just got a boost. Eight professional development graduates from Portland Community College (PCC) are ready to begin careers in high-tech microscopy, thanks to a new training partnership between PCC and Lam Research. The first cohort of the microscopy technician training program graduated this summer at Lam’s Tualatin campus,
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/funding-roundup-417/) - Ocean County College (OCC) in New Jersey has received $2,500 from OceanFirst Foundation to support food-insecure students through OCC’s Helping Hands Food Pantry and expand volunteer engagement across campus. The funding allowed volunteers to buy groceries from a local market and stock the pantry, directly supporting OCC students as they begin the fall semester. “With
- [Rebuilding the American Dream: 11 current community college presidents take the stage](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/rebuilding-the-american-dream-11-current-community-college-presidents-take-the-stage/) - The American Dream has always rested on a simple promise: if you work hard, you can build a better life. But research from Raj Chetty and Opportunity Insights shows that promise is fading. Whereas children born in the 1940s had a 90% chance of surpassing their parents’ income, for those born in the 1980s the
- [Enrollments are up, but can students afford to stay?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/enrollments-are-up-but-can-students-afford-to-stay/) - College enrollment has finally recovered, thanks in large part to the surge in enrollment at community colleges. Two-year career and technical education (CTE) programs are feeling this growth acutely with some of the largest enrollment increases of any sector in higher education. How are the students fueling higher education’s recovery faring financially? Compared to their
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1035/)
- [Washington Watch: ED begins rulemaking on reconciliation loan changes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/washington-watch-ed-begins-rulemaking-on-reconciliation-loan-changes/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) this week kicked off one of two upcoming negotiated rulemaking sessions to implement the higher education components of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) reconciliation legislation. The table – the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee – will address changes to student loan origination and repayment policies,
- [Community colleges: Workforce engines of the future](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/community-colleges-workforce-engines-of-the-future/) - In a week when a government shutdown dominates headlines and political polarization seems irreparable, one invaluable sector has quiet bipartisan support in our nation: community colleges. More than 1,000 of these colleges educate 10.5 million students across the U.S., training them for jobs that drive the economy in manufacturing, bioscience, cybersecurity, information technology, healthcare and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/headlines-1034/)
- ['A mirror, a map and a call to action'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/a-mirror-a-map-and-a-call-to-action/) - A new report from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) lays out the vast, converging challenges that the nation's public two-year colleges face and calls on the association and its member colleges to reimagine long-term planning strategies. Released on the day that DeRionne P. Pollard becomes AACC president and CEO, "Resilient by Design: The
- [A revamped federal approach to workforce development](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/a-revamped-federal-approach-for-workforce-development/) - The U.S. departments of Labor, Commerce and Education on Tuesday released their blueprint to revamp the federal government’s approach to workforce development. The departments, which were directed in April by President Donald Trump via executive order to develop the plan, said the strategy aims to address workforce needs, integrate workforce development systems to maximize efficiency
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/reporters-notebook-224/) - Bill would open agriculture grants to community colleges In Chicago, expanded help for food-insecure students Michigan Association, online provider partner on teacher prep GenAI impacts some jobs more than others Bill would open agriculture grants to community colleges A bipartisan House bill reintroduced last week would fund community college workforce training, education and research programs
- [Washington Watch: Hurtling toward a shutdown](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/washington-watch-hurtling-toward-a-shutdown/) - As of late Tuesday, congressional Democrats and their Republican counterparts, allied with the president, appear far apart in reaching an agreement on a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government functioning after midnight. Many factors have led to this impasse, but the basic difference between the parties is that Democrats want to link a funding
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1033/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/funding-roundup-416/) - A new life sciences facility is in the works for Hostos Community College. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez this month announced $12.3 million in funding to lease a new space for the facility. With the funding from the city, a developer will
- [Q&A: NSF’s impact on community colleges and the skilled technical workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/qa-nsfs-impact-on-community-colleges-and-the-skilled-technical-workforce/) - In recent months, media narratives, policy debates and advocacy rallies have emphasized the role of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in funding scientific research, technological innovation and high-skilled STEM talent that powers domestic economic development, national security and global competitiveness. Indeed, these are legitimate and important reasons why Congress should increase and strengthen the
- [How community colleges can strategically engage with lawmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/how-community-colleges-can-strategically-engage-with-lawmakers/) - From individual institutions to statewide coalitions, community colleges are developing sophisticated approaches to legislative relations that strengthen ties with elected officials. Building these relationships can bring immediate and long-term benefits for your college. Jeff Julian, chief of staff and vice president of external affairs at Harper College in Illinois, has a systematized philosophy he calls
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1032/)
- [Learn by doing](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/learn-by-doing/) - Work-based learning traces its origins to the millennia-old apprenticeship model, which was significantly shaped by the rise of industrialization in the 20th century. While vocational education has gone through many progressions, modern educators are embracing apprenticeships as a way to combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Boasting flexible programming and deep community connections, two-year
- [The new American workforce?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/the-new-american-workforce/) - In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order for a plan to “reach and surpass one million new active apprentices” annually. The initiative calls for a rapid expansion of training programs and introduction of registered apprenticeships into industries that have not traditionally used them. Trump's vision for apprenticeships faces several hurdles, including cost and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1031/)
- [A legacy of empowerment: The case for elevating ANNAPISI programs in higher education](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/a-legacy-of-empowerment-the-case-for-elevating-annapisi-programs-in-higher-education/) - These are challenging times for higher education. The National Asian Pacific Islander Council (NAPIC) is deeply disappointed by recent federal decisions to end support for many of our Minority-Serving Institutional members. Community colleges founded on expanding access now face halted programs, harming low-income and first-generation students’ ability to graduate and contribute to the economic vitality and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1030/)
- [Why liberal arts matter — even in the age of AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/why-liberal-arts-matter-even-in-the-age-of-ai/) - As an educator with years of experience in community colleges, I have often reflected on what drives career success today. One moment that reshaped my perspective came at a conference, where I met a senior executive from a leading tech company. Given his work in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation, I assumed he held
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/snapshots-99/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1029/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/newsmakers-333/) - New CEO Eric Brown is the next president of Denmark Technical College in South Carolina. He previously was a higher education consultant and prior to that an associate vice president for student affairs with the South Carolina Technical College System for nearly a decade. Earlier in his career, Brown was vice president of student affairs
- [One year after Helene: Lessons that shape our future](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/one-year-after-helene-lessons-that-shape-our-future/) - As we approach the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, I cannot help but reflect — personally and professionally — on all that our region has endured over the past year. Living through Helene here in western North Carolina was both humbling and eye-opening. Like so many of our neighbors and students, I felt the disruption,
- [Overview of AACC’s Advocates in Action](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/overview-of-aaccs-advocates-in-action/) - Nearly 100 community college presidents, government relations directors and other campus administrators convened last week in Washington, D.C., at the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Advocates in Action, an intimate, off-the-record seminar with top higher education policymakers, experts and advocates. Attendees were able to ask questions and gain insights to inform their meetings
- [Hand-in-hand with AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/hand-in-hand-with-ai/) - When artificial intelligence (AI) first emerged in higher education conversations, much of the focus was on its potential to disrupt traditional assessment. Concerns about plagiarism, essay-writing bots and academic integrity dominated faculty discussions. But as a business professor teaching at a community college, I saw an opportunity: what if AI could be a partner in
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/funding-roundup-415/) - A $500,000 donation to New York’s Hudson Valley Community College will enhance its STEM and biotechnology programs. The gift from Regeneron will support several key initiatives, including the creation of the Regeneron Biotechnology Lab, the expansion of STEM-based workforce development opportunities and the construction of the Applied Technology Education Center. The Regeneron-sponsored lab space on
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1028/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1027/)
- [Tuesdays still work for you?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/tuesdays-still-work-for-you/) - Every so often, we like to check in with our readers to make sure we're meeting their needs. One change we are considering for the CCDaily Weekly is moving the publishing date from early Tuesday mornings to Fridays later in the morning. Why? The weekly recap would be fresher and help get your mind set
- [Different strokes for different (retired) folks](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/different-strokes-for-different-retired-folks/) - Once your career winds down, planning for and then carefully choosing a path among diverging roads makes all the difference, according to a group of six long-time community college presidents who have retired in the past five years, and who shared where they are, what they’re doing and what advice they would give others. Their
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1026/)
- [Washington Watch: FY25 TRIO funding still in flux](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/washington-watch-fy25-trio-funding-still-in-flux/) - With less than two weeks left in fiscal year 2025, many community colleges have not yet received their expected TRIO award disbursements. Many colleges expected to see awards processed for TRIO’s Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Centers and Talent Search programs by the end of August and are still waiting. The U.S. Education
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1025/)
- [Reframing higher education](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/reframing-higher-education/) - As leaders of institutions committed to preparing the next generation of skilled professionals, we find ourselves aligned as regional partners at a decisive moment in the evolution of American higher education. We acknowledge that higher education is changing, that this is a good thing, and that we are uniquely positioned to reframe what higher education
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/reporters-notebook-223/) - College affordability gap widens Seeking a stay on limiting veterans' educational benefits In Ohio, a new initiative paves a path to a 4-year degree $10K for exceptional TRIO Student Support Services efforts College affordability gap widens A new analysis of college affordability by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) says that fewer than half of
- [Spreading climate science across the curriculum](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/spreading-climate-science-across-the-curriculum/) - While lessons related to climate and sustainability are probably most often found in environmental science courses, some colleges and state systems have been encouraging their faculty to weave these topics across their curricula, from history, to psychology to social justice. Although the current political climate has cast a chill over subjects like global warming —
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1024/)
- [Tracking college trends among recent high school grads](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/tracking-college-trends-among-recent-high-school-grads/) - A new annual report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center highlights enrollment, persistence and completion rates for recent high school graduates, observing some differences between two-year college students from low- and high-poverty high schools. The percentage of recent high school graduates from high-poverty schools who attended a two-year college in the fall immediately after
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1023/)
- [Investing in relationships as a workforce development strategy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/investing-in-relationships-as-a-workforce-development-strategy/) - Community colleges are essential to workforce and economic development ecosystems, and our speed to market strategies facilitate talent recruitment and development, workforce retention and upskilling. Our institutions are well-known in our regions as problem-solvers for employers, but how do we connect effectively with our businesses that are owned by international corporations? In Ohio, more than
- [Gauging the impending skills shortage](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/gauging-the-impending-skills-shortage/) - Between 2024 and 2032, 18.4 million workers with postsecondary education are expected to retire, outpacing the 13.8 million younger workers entering the labor market with similar educational qualifications. At the same time, the U.S. economy is expected to add 685,000 new jobs requiring postsecondary education and training. These challenges, among others, are leading the U.S.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1022/)
- [Fighting for MSIs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/fighting-for-msis/) - Community college advocates and other stakeholders are rallying to send Congress a strong message to fight for federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), which the Trump administration has targeted for cuts. Supporters of MSIs -- which include Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, among others
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1021/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/funding-roundup-414/) - The Dalal Family Foundation has committed to a $2 million gift to renovate the current Middlesex College Performing Arts Center (PAC), while also providing ongoing support to the New Jersey college’s arts program. “In today’s digital age, where face-to-face connection is often missing, live performances provide something special,” said Nayan Dalal, who created the foundation.
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/snapshots-98/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/newsmakers-332/) - New CEO Heather Spillers Poole is the next chancellor of Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC). She currently serves as executive vice chancellor of academic affairs and student services and director of foundation relations at CLTCC. Louisiana Community and Technical College System leadership cited Poole's instrumental role in expanding academic programs aligned with Louisiana’s workforce
- [Community college radio’s future](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/community-college-radios-future/) - Community college radio and television stations are among the network of broadcasters nationwide hit by the $1.1 billion cut to the budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, forcing the 58-year-old non-profit to shut down later this month. “Federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting made up nearly a quarter of our annual budget,
- [DataPoints: Retrained rather than replaced](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/datapoints-retrained-rather-than-replaced/) - Companies that use artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations are more likely, so far, to retrain employees than lay them off or adjust hiring practices, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey of businesses in its service region. As more businesses tap AI, there's been general concern about its impact on the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1020/)
- [Tap Mentor-Connect for grant application advice](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/tap-mentor-links-for-grant-application-advice/) - Geography Professor Jonathon “Jon” Little is enjoying a streak of good news for the geospatial information science technology (GIST) program at Monroe Community College (MCC). He’s preparing to start his third ATE grant on October 1. Also, the New York college will soon receive state funds to upgrade its geographic information system lab for the
- [Washington Watch: ED to nix funding for MSI grants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/washington-watch-ed-to-nix-funding-for-msi-grants/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Wednesday announced that it will end discretionary funding to several Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) grant programs that provide substantial support to community colleges, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Island-Serving Institutions. According to ED, these programs “violate the equal-protection component of the
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/funding-roundup-413/) - The Edmonds College Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Program (CAP) received a $575,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) that will help support the program through the end of 2026. CAP is an eight-week, 300-hour tuition-free intensive program held at the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Center (AMSC) at Paine Field. The training prepares students with hands-on
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1019/)
- [Heading for a career readiness crisis?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/heading-for-a-career-readiness-crisis/) - Findings from a new Cengage Group survey show that the disconnect between employers, educators and students appears to be growing at a time when available entry-level jobs are shrinking. The Cengage Group 2025 Graduate Employability Report says educators and employers are prioritizing different career readiness skill sets, and they often can't agree on who should
- [DataPoints: Educational attainment in the U.S.](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/datapoints-educational-attainment-in-the-u-s/) - Data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that nearly half (49.6%) of adults ages 25 or older have earned some form of postsecondary credential. The most common highest credential for adults is the baccalaureate, held by 23.7% of adults, while 10.9% have an associate degree and 14.9% have earned a master’s degree or
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1018/)
- [Green building trends and tips](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/green-building-trends-and-tips/) - The green building industry is seeing continued growth. That’s affecting higher education as colleges build new or retrofit old facilities, and as they prepare students for the green workforce. Ryan O’Neill, associate director for client solutions at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides insight about trends, tariffs, training and more. This Q&A comes from
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/reporters-notebook-222/) - DOL provides $8M to help revamp shipbuilding industry ED expands role of ombudsman Will new Workforce Pell carry Trump's name? Enrollment roll DOL provides $8M to help revamp shipbuilding industry The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced an international shipbuilding fellowship and training development program to rejuvenate the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The four-year project
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1017/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1016/)
- [Leading the eco-charge](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/leading-the-eco-charge/) - For some colleges, the idea of "sustainability" might mean installing a solar array or purchasing some recycling bins. Yet, at community colleges nationwide, environmental stewardship is not just an add-on, but a fundamental thread woven into the fabric of the institution. A sustainability master plan serves as the blueprint for this work, shaping a college’s
- [Managing student loan repayment in 2025: Why proactive counseling is non-negotiable](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/managing-student-loan-repayment-in-2025-why-proactive-counseling-is-non-negotiable/) - Repayment is real – yet many student loan borrowers aren’t making a move. As of fall 2024, more than 20 million borrowers entered active repayment, and the results point to a challenging landscape. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), delinquency rates for student loan borrowers have doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels and the
- [A renewed approach to community journalism](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/a-renewed-approach-to-community-journalism/) - In 2017, during a wildfire in Redding, California, a group of sociology professors and students at Shasta College and community members started a podcast to report in real-time vital information about the fires to help their community. It was something the traditional local media couldn't provide, as the town's newspaper was recently acquired by a
- [In these classrooms, the teachers were the students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/in-these-classrooms-the-teachers-were-the-students/) - Oregon's Portland Community College (PCC) recently welcomed more than 60 high school teachers, administrators and counselors for its annual educator externships that aim to develop the future workforce by educating local teachers and their students on career pathways in the area. The hands-on experiences were developed through collaborations between PCC, the Portland Area Career Technical
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1015/)
- [Powering local innovation through workforce development](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/powering-local-innovation-through-workforce-development/) - Community colleges educate a significant portion of our communities' current and future workforce, serving as key producers of local talent and providers of workforce training. For example, today, in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area, Maricopa Community Colleges educate more Arizona residents than any other college or university in the state, positioning us as the leading
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/reporters-notebook-221/) - Upcoming Mentor-Connect webinar Va. college approved for ED’s Prison Education Program New journalism degree for incarcerated students Pa. college launches Transfer partnership in Wrexham Industrial sewing bootcamp Upcoming Mentor-Connect webinar Join Mentor-Connect Principal Investigator Pamela Silvers and National Science Foundation (NSF) program officers to learn about funding from NSF’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1014/)
- [Washington Watch: Setting the table for upcoming neg-reg sessions](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/washington-watch-setting-the-table-for-upcoming-neg-reg-sessions/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) last week filed public comments on the sector’s priorities for implementing the education components of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) reconciliation legislation. AACC’s comments were part of the opening stages of the formal negotiated-rulemaking process that the Education Department (ED) must go through when it promulgates new
- [House Republicans release key funding bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/house-republicans-release-key-funding-bill/) - The House Appropriations Committee leadership has released the text of the fiscal year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS-ED) appropriations bill. As expected, the bill makes deep cuts to education and job training programs, though not as extensive as those proposed in the Trump administration’s FY 26 budget. Nonetheless, while
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1013/)
- [Preparing for Workforce Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/preparing-for-workforce-pell/) - Community and technical colleges are starting to prepare to implement what many of them have long advocated for: Pell Grant funding for students pursuing short-term workforce training programs, otherwise known as Workforce Pell, allowed for the first time by the federal funding bill signed into law in July. Many community college workforce development education leaders
- [Equipping the toolbelt generation](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/equipping-the-toolbelt-generation/) - In higher education, we are often reminded of the inevitable: we are standing on the edge of an enrollment cliff. The number of people turning 18 each year is declining nationwide, and in turn, annual college enrollment rates are falling. This “demographic cliff” was a long time coming. In fact, we can pinpoint its start
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/headlines-1012/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/09/newsmakers-331/) - New CEO Jennifer Wilbanks will serve as the next president of Central Carolina Technical College (South Carolina), beginning in mid-October. She currently is executive vice president for academics and workforce development at South Carolina's Horry-Georgetown Technical College. Wilbanks has more than 22 years of experience in higher education, previously serving at Piedmont Technical College in
- [Using AI to increase student engagement](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/using-ai-to-increase-student-engagement/) - Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. A Delaware County Community College (DCCC) English professor thinks that — rather than banning it from the classroom — schools and colleges should teach ethical AI literacy to help students and educators use it effectively while avoiding plagiarism. “My classrooms are filled with recent high school graduates who
- [Dems defend HSIs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/dems-defend-hsis/) - Congressional Democrats are pushing back on a Trump administration move that could jeopardize the $350-million Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) grant program, which serves more than 230 public two-year colleges. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Democratic co-chairs of the Senate and House HSI caucuses, are among a handful of Democrats who this week
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1011/)
- [Sustainability as strategy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/sustainability-as-strategy/) - As community college leaders, we face mounting pressures: tighter budgets, changing student demographics and changing funding landscape. At Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), we discovered that sustainability isn’t just about doing good — it’s smart business. By aligning our operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we’ve created a framework that tackles multiple
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/snapshots-97/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/snapshots-96/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1010/)
- [The quiet power of organizational culture](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/the-quiet-power-of-organizational-culture/) - After 25 years in higher education leadership, spanning classrooms, boardrooms and crisis rooms, one lesson rises above the rest — one I wish I had fully appreciated at the start of my journey: leadership is not just about vision, strategy or results. It’s about culture. In my earliest roles, I was deeply focused on execution.
- [The benefits of women’s sports](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/the-benefits-of-womens-sports/) - The National Junior College Athletic Association’s Region 19 — which comprises 26 two-year colleges in New Jersey, Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania — is proud of its women’s sports opportunities. During the 2024-2025 academic year, 999 female student-athlete participants across 10 sports, fielding a total of 104 women’s teams. This is a significant increase from 855
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1009/)
- [Supply chain and demand](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/supply-and-demand/) - Logistics and supply chain management are no longer confined to a company’s back-end operations. These principles of the modern business world are now a crucial facet of organizational strategy — or at least they should be, according to community college leaders at the forefront of this work. In partnership with local industry, two-year institutions are
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/funding-roundup-412/) - While unveiling a new gateway sign this month at Bucks County Community College’s Epstein Campus, philanthropist Gene Epstein announced the expansion of a scholarship program to help Lower Bucks high school graduates attend the college. Last March, the Gene and Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund donated $100,000 to allow 100 students to attend their first year
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/funding-roundup-392/) - Philanthropists Gene and Marlene Epstein presented a $100,000 check to Bucks County Community College (Pennsylvania) on March 14. This donation from the Gene & Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund will provide 100 full-time, first-year students with need-based scholarships for education-related expenses. “Figuring out how to pay for college should not be a barrier for a young
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1008/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/reporters-notebook-220/) - Bill would offer tax credits for business investments Expanding baccalaureate programs Bill would offer tax credits for business investments Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) has introduced a bill to encourage employers to invest in physical infrastructure and equipment at community colleges, career academies and other institutions to serve local workforce development needs. The Skilled Workforce Act
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1007/)
- [Ariz. senator wary of Trump policies' impact on community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/ariz-senator-wary-of-trumps-policies-on-community-colleges/) - Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) is raising concerns about the effects the Trump administration's actions are having on community colleges, noting that uncertainty over funding and changes in policies can hamper their work, especially in workforce and economic development. In an August 21 letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Kelly noted the overall impact community
- [Washington Watch: ED details changes to FAFSA](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/washington-watch-ed-details-changes-to-fafsa/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) has released details on how it will implement changes to the federal student aid application made in the recently passed reconciliation legislation. ED’s Office of Federal Student Aid said on August 15 that changes to the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
- [How will fall enrollments look?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/how-will-fall-enrollments-look/) - With many community colleges still preparing to start their fall terms and many students in the process of registering for classes, it’s too soon to get solid numbers on fall enrollments at community colleges. But some two-year colleges are already sharing their numbers and, anecdotally, it looks like it's shaping up to be another strong
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1006/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1005/)
- [Advancing change while preventing burnout](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/advancing-change-while-preventing-burnout/) - I have been working in education for a long time and have been through the many changes that inevitably come with time. For community colleges, change is constant as we strive to meet the ever-changing needs of students and the community. Change is good and is usually an indicator of progress. Change can also be
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2022/11/newsmakers-217/) - New CEOs Bryan Renfro will serve as the seventh president of John Wood Community College (JWCC) in Illinois, effective January 1. He is currently vice president of academic instruction at Paris Junior College in Texas. Previously, Renfro served in various academic affairs leadership roles, including associate vice provost of academic and workforce affairs at Tyler
- [One obstacle away from opting out](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/one-obstacle-away-from-opting-out/) - A new report highlights the tight rope community colleges walk when it comes to onboarding students before they even begin classes, with more than half of them nearly quitting because of various obstacles, such as slow responses and uncertainty about career goals. It also observes that staff are often stretched thin in meeting students’ expectations.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1004/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1003/)
- [A call for better data on multiracial students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/a-call-for-better-data-on-multiracial-students/) - Data systems must better collect information on multiracial and multiethnic students who comprise a growing share of the college-going population, according to a new report. The portion of multiracial students enrolled in college more than doubled between 2011 and 2021, jumping from 2.1% to 4.3%, according to the report from the Institute for Higher Education
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/funding-roundup-411/) - A partnership between College of Western Idaho (CWI) and Perpetua Resources is opening doors for Idaho students to pursue careers in mining, thanks to a new $250,000 scholarship fund and a shared commitment to workforce development. During a visit this month to Valley County, U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Idaho Governor Brad Little joined
- [Washington Watch: A new process for awarding federal grants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/washington-watch-a-new-process-for-awarding-federal-grants/) - The Trump administration this month published a far-reaching executive order outlining new policies and procedures for awarding federal grants. The August 7 order requires all federal agencies to designate senior political officials as responsible for reviewing all discretionary grant opportunities. The duties of those appointees will include: Vetting proposed grant announcements prior to publication Ensuring
- [Ever green](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/ever-green/) - As the Trump administration seeks to roll back or end federal investment in clean energy technologies, community college leaders may be wondering what impact these changes will have on the future of sustainability initiatives and green jobs training programs. A 2022 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected strong job growth in occupations
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1002/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/newsmakers-330/) - New CEOs Aron Gabriel has been appointed as the next president of Mayland Community College (North Carolina). He will start his new position in January after 12 years with Newton-Conover City Schools, most recently serving as its superintendent since 2018. Gabriel has long been an advocate for connecting education to real-world opportunities, according to a
- [Washington Watch: Potential exemption from new data reporting requirements](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/potential-exemption-from-new-data-reporting-requirements/) - Community colleges could be exempt from most of the new transparency and reporting requirements of college admissions data, as directed by a presidential memorandum issued last week. According to an Education Department (ED) document to be published Friday in the Federal Register, open-access institutions, such as community colleges, “have minimal or no risk for civil
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1001/)
- [Tapping theatre to learn and grow](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/tapping-theatre-to-learn-and-grow/) - College students who take an independent study expect to work by themselves, guided by a professor. But for five Raritan Valley Community College students enrolled this summer in a Theatre Independent Study class with theatre professor Dennis Russo, their “independent” work took on a much greater meaning. As part of their independent study, students Arielle
- [Reimagining postsecondary pathways: Apprenticeship degrees](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/reimagining-postsecondary-pathways-apprenticeship-degrees/) - Over the past decade, apprenticeship degrees have created affodable pathways into various occupations, ranging from cybersecurity to the skilled trades. These programs address the talent gap in middle-skill jobs and offer students early exposure to career options, advancing equity and access for diverse learner populations. The need for apprenticeship programs is increasingly evident. A 2024
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-1000/)
- [DataPoints: Where does WIOA Title II funding go?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/datapoints-where-does-wioa-title-ii-funding-go/) - Title II of the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides block grants to states for Adult Education and Literacy (AEFLA). The purpose of AEFLA’s basic state grant program is to: Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency. Assist adults who are parents or family
- [Surveying higher ed's online landscape](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/surveying-higher-eds-online-landscape/) - Investments by colleges and universities in online non-degree credentials have more than doubled since 2018-19, with nearly 70% of public two-year colleges leading the way, according to a new report assessing online learning in higher education. However, while overall online learning continues to grow, the pace could slow down among community colleges compared to four-year
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-999/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-998/)
- [A new ROI metric and dashboards](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/a-new-roi-metric-and-dashboard/) - The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has launched a new return-on-investment (ROI) metric and dashboards to help students, policymakers and institutional leaders explore trends in student outcomes among the commission's institutional members, which are primarily California community colleges. The Student Achievement Dashboards pull from three data sources: institutionally reported annual data, federally
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/funding-roundup-410/) - The Robert Miner Family Foundation this month presented the Westmoreland County Community College Educational Foundation with a $500,000 check to establish the Robert Miner Family Foundation Opportunity Scholarships for students pursuing careers in health professions, technology and industrial arts. The scholarships aim to bridge the gap for students who may not qualify for federal aid
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-997/)
- [Looking forward](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/looking-forward/) - These are daunting times for community college administrators. MiraCosta College, under the leadership of President Sunita Cooke, has adopted a forward-thinking approach to planning that considers multiple scenarios, including not just a reduction in funding but also potential systemic collapse. A "futures thinking" approach has the California college well positioned to pivot quickly and adapt
- [Turning job training into college credit](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/turning-job-training-into-college-credit/) - Everett Community College (EvCC) is expanding access to college credit for adult learners through new partnerships with local community organizations. Through these partnerships, known as “crosswalks,” students who complete specific training programs can earn credit toward a degree or certificate through the Washington college’s growing Academic Credit for Prior Learning (ACPL) program, which awards
- [Washington Watch: Trump issues memorandum on college admissions](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/washington-watch-trump-issues-presidential-memorandum-on-college-admissions/) - President Donald Trump has issued a presidential memorandum on college admissions, which was followed by a directive from Education Secretary Linda McMahon to the National Center for Education Statistics that provides more detail on how the memorandum will be implemented. The August 7 memorandum includes commentary similar to previous administration statements concerning college admissions and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-996/)
- [Embracing the growth of women’s flag football](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/embracing-the-growth-of-womens-flag-football/) - Women's flag football is growing on community college campuses across the nation, with help from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Since 2021, the NJCAA Foundation has partnered with NFL Flag and Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX Sports) to provide $200,000 in grants for NJCAA institutions beginning flag football on their campuses. At the end
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/reporters-notebook-219/) - AACC offers public comments ahead of OBBB implementation Transfer agreement creates opportunities in Appalachia AACC offers public comments ahead of OBBB implementation On Thursday, David Baime, senior vice president for government relations for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), offered public comments on the community college sector’s priorities for the implementation of the education
- [New graduate finds a second chance and a new purpose](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/new-graduate-finds-a-second-chance-and-a-new-purpose/) - At 57, Lamont McClusky didn’t think he’d find himself back in a classroom, let alone standing at a podium delivering a speech to fellow Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) graduates. Legally blind, and for years overwhelmed by life’s hardships, McClusky once believed his time “had come and gone.” But today, he’s a proud high school
- [Excelencia in Education recognizes programs improving student success](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/excelencia-in-education-recognizes-programs-improving-student-success/) - Programs at North Shore and Portland community colleges are among those being recognized by Excelencia in Education. The organization today announced its finalists for the 2025 Examples of Excelencia, recognizing programs that “demonstrate intentionality and impact in improving Latino, and all, student success in higher education,” according to a press release. “The programs recognized as finalists
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-995/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-994/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/newsmakers-329/) - New CEO Samuel Todd Brand, who has served as interim president of Big Sandy Community and Technical College for the past year, has been named the Kentucky college’s new president. During his interim leadership, the college increased the number of graduates and added two new programs -- an EKG certificate and a dual-credit practical nursing
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-993/)
- [Statewide effort prioritizes mental health support for students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/statewide-effort-prioritizes-mental-health-support-for-students/) - A Health Minds Study conducted last year at the 16 schools across the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) revealed the need for more mental health support for students. According to the study, 68% of students showed signs of depression, and 66% reported anxiety symptoms. But only 27% of those who screened positive for
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/funding-roundup-409/) - Thanks to a $1.2 million King County grant, Bellevue College in Washington can soon provide more support to underserved student veterans. Students served will receive one-on-one case management, connections to community resources, wraparound support services and up to $20,000 for tuition and additional expenses, according to the college. “What we’re really hoping for is that
- [Younger presidents who have grown into the roles](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/younger-presidents-who-have-grown-into-the-roles/) - When they became community college presidents in their 30s and early 40s in the 2010s, they faced skepticism — or at least surprised reactions — from some people on their campuses and in their communities as to whether they were truly ready to lead. Six years after they were last profiled in Community College Daily,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/headlines-992/)
- [Keeping the water system flowing](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/keeping-the-water-system-flowing/) - Automation may be replacing people in many industries, but water is not one of them. According to Hillary Caron, water education and programs coordinator for the city of Grand Rapids, there are hundreds of careers behind every drop of clean water. “We have technical jobs, like operators, engineers, chemists and mechanics,” Caron said. “We also
- [Senate bill rejects key Trump budget cuts](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/senate-bill-rejects-key-trump-budget-cuts/) - Senate appropriators on Thursday passed a bipartisan education and labor spending bill for fiscal year 2026 that would keep the Pell Grant maximum award at $7,395 for the 2026-2027 school year and preserve the $65-million Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCC) program. It would also fund many education and workforce development programs important to community
- [Nudging for success: How behavioral science can support smarter student decisions at community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/08/nudging-for-success-how-behavioral-science-can-support-smarter-student-decisions-at-community-colleges/) - Community college students face a maze of high-stakes decisions — applying for aid, selecting courses, managing work schedules, and taking on loans. Yet many of these choices are made quickly, emotionally, and sometimes without fully understanding the long-term consequences. This is where behavioral science can help. Drawing from Daniel Kahneman’s theory of Fast and Slow
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-991/)
- [Washington Watch: DOJ issues guidance on 'unlawful discrimination'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/washington-watch-doj-issues-guidance-on-unlawful-discrimination/) - The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday issued a memorandum to all federal agencies that further delineates specific practices that the Trump administration considers violations of civil rights law, including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The memo generally follows previous executive orders and guidance documents in this area. While the guidance applies to
- [Unlocking leadership reflection with AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/unlocking-leadership-reflection-with-ai/) - With the support of my board, I secured an executive coach three years ago. After 15 years as president at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), I sought clarity on the college’s direction and my role in leading it. My executive coach guided me through a year of inner work and renewal that led to another
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-990/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-989/)
- [Reach prospective students with a strong SEO strategy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/reach-prospective-students-with-a-strong-seo-strategy/) - Early last year, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) in Michigan prioritized an assessment of how its website appeared in organic search results. The findings were eye-opening: The college ranked for internal human resources topics and employee wellness initiatives, but not for academic programs or workforce training opportunities. In essence, the institution was hiding in plain
- [DataPoints: Federal direct student loans](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/datapoints-federal-direct-student-loans/) - The federal government disbursed roughly $88 billion in new federal loans in the 2023-24 fiscal year (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). Based on data from the U.S. Education Department’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 88.5% of all postsecondary institutions had students enrolled who received a federal loan, while 86.7% of public community colleges
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/newsmakers-328/) - Interim CEO Christina Royal will serve as interim president of the Connecticut State Community College. Her term runs from August 1 to June 30, 2026. Royal previously was president of Holyoke Community College (HCC) in Massachusetts before retiring in 2023 and starting her own consulting business. She is also a 2024-2025 Judith Block McLaughlin President-in-Residence
- [Redesigning connections](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/redesigning-connection/) - At Montgomery County Community College (Montco), students come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, each bringing a unique path to their education. With 14,919 students (FY 2023-24) across its online, Blue Bell and Pottstown campuses, 75% are enrolled part-time, 28% are 25 or older and 18% are still in high school, attending Montco through dual enrollment.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-988/)
- [Teaching time-starved healthcare providers to cook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/teaching-time-starved-healthcare-providers-to-cook/) - It’s reasonable to assume that healthcare providers would tend to eat healthily, but very often the exact opposite is true. They're just as stressed as everybody else. They face intense pressures and time constraints. Nurses who work 12-hour shifts simply don’t have enough hours in the day to shop for, prepare and eat nutritious, home-cooked
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/funding-roundup-408/) - A $5.7 million federal investment will unite community colleges in north Texas to reshape healthcare education. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the PATH (Partners in Advancing Talent in Healthcare) Project unites Dallas College, Tarrant County College, Navarro College and Hill College, along with the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, in an effort to expand
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-987/)
- [Workforce Pell is finally here. What will it take to get it to work?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/workforce-pell-is-finally-here-what-will-it-take-to-get-it-to-work/) - The higher education community didn’t find much to celebrate in Congress’s passage of the “big beautiful bill,” with one notable exception: the expansion of Pell grants to shorter-form workforce training programs. Workforce Pell has finally become law after years of advocacy, stalled negotiations in Congress and a groundswell of support from educators, employers and learners.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-986/)
- [ED's rulemaking schedule may push Pell, other changes to 2027](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/eds-rulemaking-schedule-may-push-pell-other-changes-to-2027/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) announced Thursday that it will hold negotiated-rulemaking sessions to implement the higher education portions of the recently passed budget reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. ED said it will hold two rulemaking sessions, one in the fall to address student loan changes and one in late
- [Bringing nanopore tech to STEM classrooms](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/bringing-nanopore-tech-to-stem-classrooms/) - Under a microscope, some crab larvae look the same. But, thanks to a new grant, Bellevue College (BC) students and faculty are using nanopore technology to rapidly identify the unique DNA of multiple crab species this summer. The project is one of three pilot projects funded by a Lockwood Foundation Grant from the Bellevue College
- [Applied associate of science degrees: Pathways for workforce and transfer](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/applied-associate-of-science-degrees-pathways-for-workforce-and-transfer/) - As North Carolina experiences rapid industrial growth and significant population changes, its community colleges are playing a critical role in shaping the state’s future workforce. Historically, students pursuing associate of applied science (AAS) degrees entered the job market immediately after graduation. But today, a growing number are charting a different course – transferring to four-year
- [Opening doors for displaced federal workers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/opening-doors-for-displaced-federal-workers/) - When the Trump administration began massive layoffs of federal workers earlier this year, community colleges jumped in to help displaced workers prepare for new careers. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) announced NOVA next (New Employment, Exploration and Transition) in March. The program enables unemployed federal workers and federal contractors to enroll in select courses at
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-985/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/funding-roundup-406/) - Kirtland Community College (Michigan) will use a $10,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation to support its fall Kickstart program, which introduces incoming students to the experience of college life and its courses. “The Kirtland Kickstart program is a great way for new college students to build confidence while beginning college,” said Cesalee Kuffel, Kirtland
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/funding-roundup-407/) - A $26,250 vote of confidence came to Paris Junior College (PJC) recently from an important member of the national watchmaking profession. The Horological Society of New York (HSNY), one of the oldest continuously operating horological associations in the world, gave a $6,250 grant to the PJC watchmaking program and $20,000 in scholarships to four watchmaking
- [A Virginia partnership taps earn-and-learn approach](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/a-virginia-partnership-taps-earn-and-learn-approach/) - Caitlin Payne had a difficult path to the upskilling she needed to move ahead in her healthcare career while attending to the needs of her family, which includes four boys, two with chronic health conditions. But joining a generous Earn While You Learn (EWYL) program offered by her employer, Charlottesville, Va.-based University of Virginia Health
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-984/)
- [Presidents’ treks raise money, awareness](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/presidents-treks-raise-money-awareness/) - Tim Cook could be using his vacation time to rest up before the fall semester starts. Instead, he’s pounding the pavement to help students. Cook, president of Clackamas Community College, is on a 50-day, 1,500-mile run throughout Oregon. During the journey – dubbed Running for Oregon Community College Students (ROCCS) – he’s stopping at all
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-983/)
- [AI for college leaders: Things I wish I’d known sooner](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/ai-for-college-leaders-things-i-wish-id-known-sooner/) - Lately, I’ve had more and more conversations with colleagues and staff members about AI. What I’ve noticed across these conversations is that while there’s broad awareness of basic tools, the depth of understanding and usage of those tools is extremely varied. I’ve seen students use it (and misuse it) for just about everything. I’ve seen
- [DOL to manage ED's adult ed, CTE programs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/dol-to-manage-eds-adult-ed-cte-programs/) - With the Supreme Court on Monday clearing the way for the Trump administration to shrink the Education Department's workforce, the department on Tuesday announced plans for the Department of Labor (DOL) to manage its adult education and career and technical education (CTE) programs. The Education Department (ED) said in a release that DOL will take
- [Metallica Scholars Initiative continues to expand](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/metallica-scholars-initiative-continues-to-expand/) - A national workforce development program supported by the rock band Metallica is rolling into its seventh year with a new cohort of community colleges and its largest grant to date of about $3 million. Metallica’s philanthropic organization All Within My Hands (AWMH) on Monday announced that 15 community colleges this fall are joining the Metallica
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/newsmakers-327/) - CEO on the move Kendra Ericson is now the 10th president of Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) in South Dakota. She previously was president of St. Luke's College (Iowa) for the past five years. Ericson's background spans multiple sectors and roles, beginning as a practicing nurse before transitioning into academic coaching, professional development leadership and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-982/)
- [House sets top-line number for FY 26 funding](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/house-sets-top-line-number-for-fy-26-funding/) - While congressional Republicans will press down on spending for domestic programs, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee has indicated that his panel will not make dramatic cuts to align with the president’s budget request. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) announced on Thursday that the House will allocate $705.6 billion for discretionary, non-defense programs for fiscal
- [Facing pressure, Trump administration to release at least some withheld ed funding](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/facing-pressure-trump-administration-to-release-ed-funding/) - Editor's note: This article was updated at 4 p.m. on July 18. The Trump administration will release at least some of the $7 billion in federal education grants that were not awarded as scheduled on July 1, according to a social media post on Friday by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), who chairs of
- [Making the case for good data](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/making-the-case-for-good-data/) - Policymakers, college leaders and students all rely on clear, timely data for decision-making. But not all data systems are created equal. Angela Perry, a senior advisor for postsecondary and workforce pathways at the Data Quality Campaign, answers a few questions about data availability and how states can improve their data systems. This article comes from
- [Looking ahead at distance learning, AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/looking-ahead-at-distance-learning-ai/) - Community college presidents and senior leadership recently gathered for a deep dive into two hot-button issues for two-year colleges — the future of distance learning and artificial intelligence (AI). The leaders convened May 19-20 at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) to participate in a series of presentations, conversations and thought sessions during the inaugural President’s
- [A needed career spark](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/a-needed-career-spark/) - At Portland Community College’s Swan Island Trades Center, the clang and bright sparks of welding tools gave way to a different kind of activity — one of celebration, accomplishment and new beginnings. The maritime welding program’s recent completion ceremony honored a group of students who didn’t just earn certificates in maritime welding and ship fitting
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-981/)
- [DeRionne Pollard to lead AACC](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/derionne-pollard-to-lead-aacc/) - DeRionne Pollard this fall will become the next president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). She is the first woman to take the helm of the 105-year-old community college organization. The announcement on Wednesday by the AACC board of directors comes after a rigorous national search and a special meeting of
- [Americans more confident in higher ed](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/americans-more-confident-in-higher-ed/) - After a decade-long trend of lowering opinions of higher education, a new Gallup poll indicates an uptick in Americans' confidence in two- and four-year institutions. Forty-two percent of surveyed U.S. adults said they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education, up from 36% in each of the past two
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-980/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-979/)
- [Creative approaches to house students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/creative-approaches-to-house-students/) - Community college leaders have long realized that the more barriers to success they can eliminate, the more likely students are to graduate. Now, a growing number of colleges are adding housing insecurity to the list of barriers they’re tackling by providing stable, safe and affordable housing options for students. The number of community colleges that offer
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-978/)
- [A nation of immigrants imperiled](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/a-nation-of-immigrants-imperiled/) - At the recent graduation ceremony for Northern Essex Community College’s Center for Adult Education, we celebrated the accomplishments of 24 students who had completed their High School Equivalency exams, dozens more who finished English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programs, 15 inductees into the National Adult Education Honor Society and six newly naturalized citizens
- [Next steps for Workforce Pell and other changes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/next-steps-for-workforce-pell-and-other-changes/) - After years of trying to get Congress to allow Pell grants to cover certain quality short-term workforce education programs, advocates finally got their wish when Workforce Pell passed via the massive budget reconciliation legislation signed into law on July 4. But there's still much to do before Workforce Pell is up and running at community
- [Washington Watch: ED, DOL clamp down on services to undocumented individuals](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/washington-watch-ed-dol-clamp-down-on-services-to-undocumented-individuals/) - The Trump administration late last week started to crack down on services to undocumented individuals, including certain programs offered through the departments of Education and Labor. On Thursday, the Education Department (ED) issued a final interpretative rule that effectively prohibits certain ED programs from serving undocumented learners. On the same day, the Department of Labor
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-977/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/newsmakers-326/) - New CEO Alan Smith, who has served as Gadsden State Community College’s interim president since June 1, is now its permanent president. “My connection to this college spans more than 35 years, when I began my education journey, and has shaped who I am today. This is an incredible honor that I embrace with great
- [The newest generation of presidents](https://www.ccdaily.com/2019/07/newest-generation-presidents/) - During his first week as president of Phoenix College in Arizona, Larry Johnson, Jr., dressed like a student – with ripped jeans and a hoodie – sat in the back of a classroom and joined the discussion. Johnson borrowed the idea from the “Undercover Boss” TV show. None of the students knew there was an
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-976/)
- [A broader conversation about AI ethics in higher ed](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/a-broader-conversation-about-ai-ethics-in-higher-ed/) - In May, artificial intelligence (AI) use in the classroom once again took center stage when a student sued Northeastern University. The lawsuit arose after the student discovered that her professor had used ChatGPT to create or edit course materials without proper citations, while simultaneously prohibiting students from using AI in any form, cited or otherwise.
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/funding-roundup-405/) - Allan Hancock College is the first school selected to participate in the Nurses Project, launched by the Cloverlane Foundation. The college received $35,000 in grant funding to resources for nursing students. A new fund will create a textbook loan program for students in the college’s licensed vocational nursing (LVN) program, which will expand to include
- [Washington Watch: Senate passes reconciliation bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/washington-watch-senate-passes-budget-reconciliation-bill/) - By a 51-50 vote, with the tiebreaker cast by Vice President J.D. Vance, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed the so-called “One Big Beautiful” reconciliation bill. Shortly before the final vote was tallied, Senate Republicans released near-final text of the bill, which did not make any significant changes to the higher education provisions compared to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/headlines-975/)
- [CEO on social media](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/ceo-on-social-media/) - The students, faculty, staff and community residents of Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in Wisconsin know all about their president, Anthony Cruz. They know he loves pickleball. He likes to eat out. He recently got a new pair of Adidas sneakers. He and his wife visited the Milwaukee Zoo. He proudly displays a sizable collection
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-974/)
- [Creating a positive culture on campus](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/creating-a-positive-culture-on-campus/) - It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Commencement season is upon us, and I will admit that it was always one of my favorite events on campus. Graduation was an annual reminder of the collective efforts of faculty, staff, trustees and administrators to support student success. Like your graduates, I hope that you are
- [Community colleges as engines for economic development](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/community-colleges-as-engines-for-economic-development/) - For more than two decades, I’ve seen firsthand how community colleges change lives. I began my career as an adjunct sociology instructor at a large urban-suburban community college. Today, I serve as vice president for academic affairs and workforce development at a community college that serves residents in a city and six large counties. Over
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/funding-roundup-404/) - A $40,000 donation from Sean Quinn, CEO of Wafer World, will provide financial support for Palm Beach State College (PBSC) engineering technology students. The Wafer World STEM Scholarships were announced this month at a STEM reception at the Florida college. “We’ve got a tremendous shortage of trained workers, and we’re trying to solve the problem.
- [Lumina aims to help rural colleges reach adult learners](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/lumina-aims-to-help-rural-colleges-reach-adult-learners/) - A new initiative spearheaded by Lumina Foundation aims to help rural and semi-rural community colleges reach and enroll more adult learners. Lumina is working with CollegeAPP and StrategyForward Advisors to help six selected colleges over two years with their branding, outreach and marketing efforts by using proprietary predictive modeling to increase engagement and enrollment of
- [Washington Watch: Hope remains for workforce Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/hope-remains-for-workforce-pell/) - Editor's note: This article was updated at 8 a.m. on June 30, 2025. The Senate parliamentarian has approved a modified version of workforce Pell provisions in the budget reconciliation bill that the Senate Budget Committee released late on Friday. Last week, the Senate parliamentarian found that the initial workforce Pell provisions in the bill did
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/snapshots-95/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-973/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/newsmakers-325/) - CEO on the move O. John Maduko, president of Connecticut State Community College (CT State), has been appointed interim chancellor for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, which comprises the community college system, four state universities and an online institution. His term, which begins July 1, is for one year. “President Maduko has a proven record
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-972/)
- [Washington Watch: Workforce Pell dealt major blow in reconciliation bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-workforce-pell-dealt-major-blow-in-reconciliation-bill/) - The Senate parliamentarian has determined that provisions in the Senate’s budget reconciliation bill that would establish workforce Pell grants do not comply with the rules governing the budget reconciliation process, according to material released by Senate Budget Committee Democrats on Wednesday evening. While this is a major setback, it does not necessarily mean the end
- [Persistence, retention drop among older students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/persistence-retention-drop-among-older-students/) - While overall persistence and retention rates have remained relatively flat among community college students who entered in fall 2023, the rates for older learners show big drops, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Fall 2024 enrollments for two-year students who entered college in fall 2023 declined by 0.4 percentage
- [Washington Watch: House ed committee passes accreditation bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-house-ed-committee-passes-accreditation-bill/) - The House Education and Workforce Committee on Wednesday approved legislation on accreditation that is, in part, designed to put into effect President Donald Trump’s executive order on accreditation. H.R. 4054, the Accreditation Choice and Innovation Act was sponsored by committee member Rep. Randy Fine (R-Florida) and introduced just five days before the committee markup. The
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-971/)
- [Washington Watch: Reconciliation roller coaster](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-reconciliation-roller-coaster/) - Senate Republicans continue to work through a bevy of political, policy and procedural hurdles to enact their version of the fiscal year 2025 budget reconciliation legislation ahead of a self-imposed July 4 deadline. The House passed its measure last month by one vote. Since then, Senate committees have released legislative text for provisions in their
- [Goodson to head AACC board of directors](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/goodson-to-head-aacc-board-of-directors/) - Leigh Goodson, president of Tulsa Community College (Oklahoma), will become chair of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) board of directors on July 1, succeeding Sunita “Sunny” Cooke, president/superintendent of California’s MiraCosta College District. John Enamait, president of Stanly Community College in North Carolina, is chair-elect of the board of directors. Goodson has led
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-970/)
- [Preparing today for tomorrow](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/preparing-today-for-tomorrow/) - Nobody likes feeling stuck in their career, says Howard Spearman, president of Rock Valley College (Illinois). In fact, Spearman’s dedication to creating succession pathways at Rock Valley is directly shaped by his own experiences, he adds. "I’ve been in roles where I didn’t have other opportunities to showcase my skills, so I promised myself I
- [Maine's free community college scholarship ends](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/maines-free-community-college-scholarship-ends/) - Maine’s Free College Scholarship ends with the Class of 2025 graduates after state lawmakers declined to fund future graduating classes in the budget signed by the governor on Monday. The Free College Scholarship, which started in fall 2022, is a last-dollar scholarship that covers 100% of tuition and mandatory fees at Maine’s community colleges for
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/newsmakers-324/) - CEO on the move Larry Johnson, Jr., will become the seventh president of Bronx Community College, effective July 14. He is currently president of Guttman Community College, a position he has held for four years. During his tenure as Guttman’s second president, the New York City college saw historic enrollment growth and has expanded its
- [Equity opportunities in middle-skills occupations](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/equity-opportunities-in-middle-skills-occupations/) - A workforce gap among middle-skills workers -- those with certificates and associate degrees -- can present an opportunity to diversify workers and provide a pathway to good-paying jobs in growing fields, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. The 73-page report outlines the challenges and opportunities for
- [Students foggy about non-degree programs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/students-foggy-about-non-degree-programs/) - New findings from a survey of U.S. learners indicate that colleges may need to improve communication around credit requirements, transferability and alternative credentials to retain college students and bring back those who have stopped out or decided not to attend altogether. Sixty percent of stop-outs -- individual who left college before completing a degree --
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/funding-roundup-403/) - Southwest Tennessee Community College looks to produce the next generation of creatives with a $500,000 grant from the Assisi Foundation of Memphis. The grant will support the Southwest Entertainment Production Initiative (SEPI), a capital improvement campaign to revitalize the college’s communication, graphic and fine arts (CGFA) department. The goal is also to boost the region’s
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-969/)
- [Expanding what success means for our nation’s community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/expanding-what-success-means-for-our-nations-community-colleges/) - As debates rage about the value of higher education and confidence continues to erode in the impact of higher education institutions, community colleges need to remind the public and policymakers of their mission and demonstrate the understandable and measurable effects for the students they enroll and the communities they serve. Community colleges have always been
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-968/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/reporters-notebook-218/) - Dems balk at plan to move CTE programs to DOL Houston Community College has a new name Stout to step down as ATD chief next summer MassBay recognized for its cybersecurity programs Dems balk at plan to move CTE programs to DOL Congressional Democrats are calling on the Trump administration to halt its efforts to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-967/)
- [Washington Watch: Lawsuit hits HSI program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-lawsuit-hits-hsi-program/) - The U.S. Education Department’s (ED) Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program, which has been funded for 30 years, is the centerpiece of a lawsuit just filed by the state of Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions. The latter is the group that successfully sued Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, leading to the Supreme Court’s
- [DataPoints: Leaving money on the table](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/datapoints-leaving-money-on-the-table/) - Nearly one in five (17%) students enrolled in public community colleges did not apply for any federal student aid and would likely have been eligible for a Pell Grant, according to an analysis of data from the 2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. During the 2019-20 academic year, 61% of public community college students applied
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-966/)
- [Solving a DNA extraction conundrum](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/new-hampshire-students-solve-dna-extraction-conundrum/) - Two students at NHTI-Concord’s Community College have solved a problem that has affected the school’s Biology II class for years. Noah Ford and Sophia Lemay refined a complex method to successfully extract DNA from a bacteriophage, allowing future classes to make new virus discoveries. In NHTI’s Biology II curriculum, students must isolate a virus from
- [Washington Watch: AACC joins higher ed groups supporting of Harvard](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-aacc-joins-higher-ed-groups-supporting-of-harvard/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has joined with the American Council on Education and 26 other organizations in an amicus brief supporting Harvard University’s lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit was filed after the administration froze more than $2.2 billion of Harvard’s federal research grants, citing alleged governance failures and a lack
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/funding-roundup-402/) - Mt. San Jacinto College in California announced that its certified nursing assistant (CNA) program has received a $30,000 grant from the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation to reduce student financial burdens. The grant is designed to eliminate common financial obstacles faced by CNA students. Funds will go toward covering essential expenses, such as certification exam fees,
- [Finding the right blend](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/finding-the-right-blend/) - Sarah Parker, president of Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO), has four children in elementary and middle school. Mordecai Brownlee, president of the Community College of Aurora (Colorado), has two children in elementary school. Kim Barnett-Johnson, chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College’s Fort Wayne and Warsaw campus, has a son who turns 14 this year
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-965/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/newsmakers-323/) - New CEO Clinton R. Hayes will become the fourth president of Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC), effective July 1. He is currently provost/senior vice president of academic affairs at Somerset Community College (SCC) in Kentucky, a post he has held since 2019. Hayes has served at SCC -- his alma mater -- since 2007, holding
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-964/)
- [Follow the leader](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/follow-the-leader/) - Sania Kamani wasn’t entirely clear about her path forward, but she knew that four years of traditional college learning in classrooms was not for her. “Since I was 16, I’ve been building my resume and looking for opportunities to grow, but the idea of becoming stagnant while in college didn’t appeal to me,” she said.
- [Wildfires inspire students' STEM innovations](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/wildfires-inspire-students-stem-innovations/) - The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) aims to foster solutions developed by two-year college students to address real-world STEM problems. What is particularly unique this year is how many finalist projects came about from discussions about wildfires. During a CCIC poster showcase held on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, 12 student-led teams from community colleges across
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-963/)
- [Snapshots: The 2025 CCIC poster showcase](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/snapshots-the-2025-ccic-poster-showcase/) - On Tuesday, student teams that comprised the 12 college finalists for the 2025 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) pitched their STEM-related solutions for real-world problems during a poster session held at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center that included special guests. Below are photos from the event. (All photos by EPNAC.com)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/reporters-notebook-217/) - A new airport ground support equipment certificate A central hub for training in transportation careers Austin college's executive vice chancellor for the future New ED appointees include some familiar faces A new airport ground support equipment certificate South Seattle College (SSC) is partnering with the Port of Seattle on a new certificate program in airport
- [Washington Watch: Major victory for community colleges in Senate](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-major-victory-for-community-colleges-in-senate/) - The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Tuesday evening unveiled its reconciliation proposal containing changes to higher education student aid and repayment policies. While the bill builds on the higher education provisions of the House-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it fully rejects the House bill’s problematic changes to Pell Grant eligibility
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-962/)
- [Should colleges help students pay down their debt?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/should-colleges-help-students-pay-down-their-debt/) - With student loan debt approaching the $2 trillion level and default rates rising, Republicans in Congress have advanced legislation that would require colleges to repay a portion of its students’ unpaid loans. The idea of risk-sharing is not new. In the pre-Covid era, the suggestion that colleges should have some skin in the game by
- [From soil to cyber](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/from-soil-to-cyber/) - What if a single campus building could prepare students to both grow North Carolina’s food supply and protect it from cyberattacks? At Blue Ridge Community College, we believe that well-designed facilities do more than house programs — they bring disciplines together, reflect industry realities and prepare students for the interconnected workforce. As higher education evolves
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-961/)
- [Diving into butterflies](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/diving-into-butterflies/) - Over 25 years ago, Gwen Shlichta had just completed her undergraduate degree and was eager to undertake a research job before starting graduate school. She found a position as a lab technician in the Kingsolver lab at the University of Washington, where she spent the next four-and-a-half years conducting experiments on cabbage white butterflies (scientifically
- [A strategic plan rooted in real voices](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/a-strategic-plan-rooted-in-real-voices/) - When Carroll Community College in Maryland launched development of its next four-year strategic plan, the leadership team wasn’t thinking about just KPIs and goal statements. They were thinking about trust. Visibility. Inclusivity. And what it would look like to build a plan not just for the community but with it. As a result, when Carroll
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-960/)
- [NSF funding critical in preparing students for a changing workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/nsf-funding-critical-to-preparing-students-for-a-changing-workforce/) - National Science Foundation (NSF) programs have provided community colleges with opportunities to equip the current and next generation of skilled workers. But proposed massive funding cuts put those vital programs at risk. A June 3 briefing on Capitol Hill focused on how NSF funding opens up community college pathways to the future of work. The
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/newsmakers-322/) - CEO on the move Michael S. Brophy has been named the eighth president of Hudson Valley Community College, effective August 1. He brings more than 35 years of experience in higher education to the New York college and currently serves as president of Hilbert College in Buffalo. At Hilbert, a Catholic college, Brophy increased enrollment
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-959/)
- [ED chief emphasizes risk-sharing, workforce Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/ed-chief-emphasizes-risk-sharing-workforce-pell/) - U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said during a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Wednesday that risk-sharing and workforce Pell are among her top higher education policy priorities, as related in H.R. 1, aka the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. During the three-hour-plus hearing, McMahon didn't provide many new details on the Trump administration's
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/funding-roundup-401/) - The Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation has awarded the Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) Foundation a three-year, $1.68 million commitment to support students in the Entrepreneurial Studies Institute, health sciences and workforce development programs. Twenty-two years ago, with Phil and Carole Ratcliffe's support and encouragement, the Maryland college launched the Entrepreneurial Studies Institute (ESI)
- [Washington Watch: ED’s new student aid verifications to fight fraud](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-eds-new-student-aid-verifications-to-fight-fraud/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Friday announced a new effort to weed out fraudulent student aid applications. This is an issue that primarily only affects community colleges because of their low tuitions and open access policies. For context, community colleges have sought the department’s help for some time to detect fraudulent students who use
- [A steady stream of support for apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/a-steady-stream-of-support-for-apprenticeships/) - The Trump administration's push to reach 1 million new registered apprenticeships annually will need more public-private partnerships, as well as help from training providers such as community colleges, U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer told a House committee on Thursday. The nearly three-hour House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on the budget request and policy priorities
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-958/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-957/)
- [Washington Watch: Contact your senators to protect Pell](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-contact-your-senators-to-protect-pell/) - The U.S. Senate is accelerating action on its version of the House’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” It is increasingly possible that the Senate bill, and therefore also the final reconciliation bill, will include devastating cuts to Pell Grant eligibility based on enrollment intensity. It is crucial that community colleges contact their senators now in
- [Students take the lead on Pell advocacy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/students-take-the-lead-on-pell-advocacy/) - At Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), our mission is to recognize academic excellence and provide students with opportunities to grow—and to lead. And when it comes to leadership, advocacy is where we believe it must begin. We know our members care deeply about the issues that shape their futures. But too often, they lack the tools
- [Washington Watch: More deep cuts revealed in Trump budget request](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-more-deep-cuts-revealed-in-trump-budget-request/) - The Trump administration late Friday released additional information that fleshes out its fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposal to Congress. The new materials fill in some additional details for higher education and workforce programs that were not contained in the “skinny” budget released a month ago. As the skinny budget made clear, the budget request
- [Gutting NSF will undermine community college pathways to work](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/gutting-the-nsf-will-undermine-community-college-pathways-to-the-future-of-work/) - Just a few days after delivering his 100-day address at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, President Donald Trump released a budget proposal that would slash funding for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) by more than half. For 75 years, the agency has played an indispensable role in funding STEM workforce training at America’s
- [Good news (mostly) on stop-outs, re-enrollment](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/good-news-mostly-on-stop-outs-and-re-enrollment/) - For the second year in a row, the number of college students “stopping out” before earning a credential has declined. At the same time, the number of students with “some college, no credential” (SCNC) re-enrolling has increased. Slightly more than 2.1 million people stopped out of college between January 2022 and July 2023. That’s about
- [Washington Watch: Some community college TRIO grants canceled](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/washington-watch-some-community-college-trio-grants-canceled/) - Several community colleges late last week received notices from the U.S. Education Department (ED) canceling their TRIO Upward Bound continuation grants. While the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is still working with its membership to assess the full scope of the cancellations, this is an extremely worrying development for community colleges that participate in
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-956/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/06/headlines-955/)
- [Preparing students to fight cancer with data](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/preparing-students-to-fight-cancer-with-data/) - San Jacinto College will extend its cancer data management program to students nationwide beginning June 2025. Cancer registrars are data specialists who document the full history, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of U.S. cancer patients. Their work advances research and treatment and improves cancer prevention and screening. With demand for registrars on the rise across the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-954/)
- [Maryland program addresses teacher shortage, supports displaced federal employees](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/maryland-program-addresses-teacher-shortage-supports-displaced-federal-employees/) - Maryland Gov. Wes Moore visited Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus on Tuesday to announce a new program to help displaced federal workers prepare for teaching jobs. To support the new Teacher Quality and Diversity Program, the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) will provide $1 million in grants to 11 colleges and universities. The grant recipients will
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-953/)
- [Arizona college launches three-year bachelor’s degree program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/arizona-college-launches-three-year-bachelors-degree-program/) - Yavapai College (YC) announced May 22 that it will offer a three-year bachelor’s degree – the new Optimized 92-credit Bachelor of Applied Science in Business (BASB) degree. The degree will launch for the upcoming fall 2025 semester, and the Arizona college will be the first community college in the United States to offer a three-year
- [Washington Watch: Preserving Pell, front and center](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-preserving-pell-front-and-center/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has written to the Senate Labor, Health, Education and Pension (HELP) Committee, outlining its position on the higher education provision in the House-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The Senate will likely craft its reconciliation bill by modifying the House bill's provisions. Both chambers must agree on a
- [A GAO review of registered apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/a-gao-review-of-registered-apprenticeships/) - As the Trump administration champions for expanding registered apprenticeship (RA) programs, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on RAs examines opportunities to expand these earn-and-learn programs as well some well-known barriers, such as administrative burden and cost. The agency provided a general overview of earn-and-learn programs with a focus on registered apprenticeships. Its review
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-952/)
- [A journey of learning](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/a-journey-of-learning/) - What I wish I’d known in preparation for a college presidency is to have realized in my early years how much I would learn and how that journey of learning would enrich my life and translate into being a more effective president and, I hope, better person. I wish I would have been more appreciative
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/funding-roundup-400/) - In Florida, Valencia College’s nursing program has received $2 million in state grants for simulation equipment, scholarships and faculty recruitment. This marks the third consecutive year that the state has awarded Valencia College Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) grants. The grant program provides matching funds, on a dollar-to-dollar basis, to colleges and universities that
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/snapshots-94/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/33094/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/newsmakers-321/) - New CEOs Linda Kingston will become president of Minnesota's Lake Superior College (LSC) on July 1. She is currently the college's vice president for academic and student affairs, a position she has held since 2020. Previously, Kingston served Winona State University from 2017 to 2020 as assistant vice president for distance learning and summer session,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-951/) - Clinton Community College Day will honor the New York school's nearly 60 years at its present location as it prepares to relocate to SUNY Plattsburgh's campus and CVPH, a hospital and healthcare provider, for the start of the fall semester.
- [Learning while leading](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/learning-while-leading/) - This July, I will celebrate two significant work-related anniversaries: 20 years at Zane State College and 10 years as president. The higher education ecosystem has changed so drastically that the challenges facing today’s presidents look quite different from those just a few years ago. I can think of many things I wish I’d known over
- [Washington Watch: What's in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-whats-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act/) - The House early Thursday passed its massive fiscal year 2025 budget reconciliation bill – the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." This sets the stage for Senate action and subsequent negotiations between the two chambers. The stakes could not be higher for community college students and institutions. Although the House-passed bill contains some positive features, overall,
- [Your feedback on 'AACC Competencies'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/your-feedback-on-aacc-competencies/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is accepting comments to help revise the association's popular AACC Competencies for Community College Leaders. Many institutions use the guide, which highlights the leadership skills needed to be effective in today's community college, as a central part of employee development. AACC will host several feedback sessions in June
- [More talk about apprenticeships, block grants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/more-talk-about-apprenticeships-block-grants/) - The U.S. labor secretary on Thursday again pitched block grants for workforce development programs and expanding apprenticeships, this time to Senate appropriators, some of whom questioned how it could be done when the department seeks to cut funding for training programs that support apprenticeships. The Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the U.S. Labor Department's budget
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-950/)
- [Wary of proposed changes to Pell eligibility](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/wary-of-proposed-changes-to-pell-eligibility/) - A Senate hearing Wednesday on higher education touched on a lot of topics, but it was the work of community colleges -- especially in stretching their modest budgets and providing pathways to good-paying jobs -- that caught the ear of several lawmakers. The Senate Labor, Education, Health and Pensions Committee discussed with witnesses a range
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-949/)
- [McMahon highlights budget, priorities](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/mcmahon-highlights-budget-priorities/) - As the budget debate continued on Capitol Hill, Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Wednesday sat before a House Appropriations subcommittee to talk about education funding. In its fiscal year 2026 budget outline, the Trump administration aims to slash about $12 billion from the Education Department (ED). The cuts align with the president’s campaign promise to
- [Washington Watch: House moves forward with reconciliation plan](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-house-moves-forward-with-reconciliation-plan/) - The House last week wrapped up a series of marathon markups in three key committees – Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Agriculture. Together, the bills advanced by these three committees represent the bulk of House Republicans’ reconciliation priorities and deliver significant changes to public benefits programs and tax policy. The bills were each
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/newsmakers-320/) - New CEOs Jeffrey Alexander is the next president of Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), effective July 1. He is currently vice president of academic affairs at the Nevada college. At TMCC, Alexander has championed efforts to expand access, improve student success and strengthen partnerships with industry and regional agencies, according to the college. His work
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-948/)
- [Using data, technology to advance student outcomes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/using-data-technology-to-advance-student-outcomes/) - The use of labor market information (LMI) and student outcomes data, as well as the innovative use of technology, are key for improving students’ economic outcomes. Last year, the Project on Workforce and Education Design Lab studied four community colleges working to integrate LMI, student performance data and new technologies to better support underserved students.
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/funding-roundup-399/) - El Paso Community College (EPCC) will use a $85,521 Texas Workforce Commission grant to provide specialized training for an area business. The college will work with Bain Enterprises, LLC, to provide more than 980 hours of training for the upskilling of 102 new and current employees at the company. The grant will cover tuition and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-947/)
- [First a survey, now a strategy](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/first-a-survey-now-a-strategy/) - St. Petersburg College (SPC) this summer will develop a college-wide strategy to inform and train employees on artificial intelligence (AI) based on findings from a spring survey about employees’ views and use of AI. In just a few months, the Florida college will launch several initiatives, such as summer institutes, for faculty and staff to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-946/)
- [CC baccalaureates spread as resistance wanes](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/community-college-baccalaureates-spread-as-resistance-wanes/) - Community college baccalaureate programs continue to become increasingly commonplace as more two-year schools overcome political resistance with a combination of strategic degree build-outs based on student and workforce demand, along with a respectful, partnership-oriented stance toward their university brethren. As of mid-April — and the numbers change regularly — 24 states allowed community colleges to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-945/)
- [Much apprenticeship talk, but no budget details](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/much-apprenticeship-talk-but-no-budget-details/) - U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on Thursday focused much of her budget pitch to House appropriators on the president's goal to reach 1 million new registered apprenticeships annually, but Democrats wanted details on the Trump administration's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. At a House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee hearing,
- [2025 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation transfer scholars](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/2025-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-transfer-scholars/) - Miami Dade College's Maite Roque Franco wants to be a physician. Jessica Gallegos of LaGuardia Community College aims to become a music producer and sound engineer. Odudu Ekpenyong, who attends UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ, aspires to be an airline captain. They each plan to transfer upon graduation from their community college to
- [Campus tour takers now tour guides](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/campus-tour-takers-now-tour-guides/) - Kailey Sohn has gotten pretty good at walking backwards. On a recent Friday morning, the 21-year-old Harper College student is backpedaling alongside a construction site, her gaze focused on the 22 fourth-graders on her campus tour, making sure they stay safely together. When Sohn hears some of the kids, who attend Euclid Elementary School in
- [State, local funding down for two-year colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/state-local-funding-down-for-two-year-colleges/) - Inflation-adjusted state and local education appropriations decreased 3.3% ($396) at two-year institutions from 2023 to 2024, reaching $10,899 per full-time equivalent (FTE), according to an annual report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO). At four-year institutions, education appropriations per FTE increased 1.5% ($197) over the same year, reaching $10,820. Broken down, state
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-944/)
- [A rare FAA exemption for WarrenUAS](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/a-rare-faa-exemption-for-warrenuas/) - Over five years, Warren County Community College (WCCC) in New Jersey has built what is recognized as one of the best drone training program in the country, adding professional staff, more than 100 unmanned systems and last week getting one of only five rare Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exceptions to fly and offer training on
- [Standing up against proposed higher ed cuts](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/standing-up-against-proposed-higher-ed-cuts/) - For the past few months, America’s most prestigious universities have been under attack by a president intent on chastening “woke elites” and flexing his political muscle to show that not even the world’s most esteemed institutions of higher learning are beyond his control. While public attention has been focused on Ivy-leaguers like Harvard, Columbia and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-943/)
- [Mind over injury](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/mind-over-injury/) - When a severe brain injury strikes, tasks that most people take for granted can become overwhelming. But at California's Santa Monica College (SMC), people with acquired brain injuries are discovering new paths forward to find greater independence as well as a supportive community. Since 1991, SMC’s Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Program has assisted adults with
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-942/)
- [Autism awareness training for law enforcement](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/autism-awareness-training-for-law-enforcement/) - Lorain County Community College (LCCC) is home to the only law enforcement autism training course of its kind in Ohio, helping officers statewide navigate sensitive encounters with individuals on the autism spectrum. LCCC delivers the course “Interacting with Special Needs Populations: Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder” and provides officers with the tools and insight to recognize
- [Overcoming transfer obstacles with AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/overcoming-transfer-obstacles-with-ai/) - In late 2024, the American Association of Community Colleges and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities teamed with consulting company Sova and Zachary Pardos from the University of California, Berkeley to launch the AI Transfer and Articulation Infrastructure Network (ATAIN). The initiative aims to streamline the transfer process for community college students through the
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/snapshots-93/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-941/)
- [A new AI model: The Human Guided Learning Ecosystem](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/a-new-ai-model-the-human-guided-learning-ecosystem/) - As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its rapid evolution, a wave of apprehension has swept through higher education. Many fear AI will supplant educators or render our institutions obsolete. But what if this focus is misplaced? What if the future of higher education doesn't just survive AI, but thrives because of it? Imagine a system where
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/funding-roundup-398/) - Miami Dade College (MDC) announced the launch of the Miami Startup Ecosystem Internship Program, supported by a $1 million grant from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation and JPMorganChase. The program will offer students paid, hands-on learning experiences at tech startups and scalable small businesses. Over the next two years, the program will place at least 200
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-940/)
- [Washington Watch: Tax-Free Pell Grant reintroduced in Senate](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-tax-free-pell-grant-reintroduced-in-senate/) - A bipartisan group of senators on the Senate Finance Committee this week reintroduced the Tax-Free Pell Grant Act, a top priority for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa), Tom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) on Tuesday introduced the legislation, which is identical to the
- [Career-ready in the age of AI](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/career-ready-in-the-age-of-ai/) - As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape education, work and daily life, educators across disciplines face a timely and transformative opportunity: to equip students with the AI literacy they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. AI is no longer confined to computer science or engineering — it’s a cross-disciplinary competency that intersects with
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-939/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/reporters-notebook-216/) - Rhode Island's new online RN-to-BSN program Wisconsin partnership opens nursing, teaching degree paths Tennessee college provides scholarships to study abroad Kids on Campus project making Head Start connections Rhode Island's new online RN-to-BSN program The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is partnering with Rhode Island College to offer a fully online registered nurse to
- [Richmond Fed to expand survey about wraparound services](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/richmond-fed-to-expand-survey-about-wraparound-services/) - There are anecdotal stories about how wraparound services — from childcare and transportation, to mental health and academic and career counseling — are helping to keep community college students enrolled and on a path to completion. Now, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (Richmond Fed) wants to take a closer look at what wraparound services
- [Adults without degrees still value higher ed](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/adults-still-value-higher-ed/) - Despite a growing public skepticism about higher education, Americans without degrees or credentials still view postsecondary education as essential for career success. That's the top-line finding in an annual report on the state of higher education from Gallup and Lumina Foundation released on Wednesday. Non-degree or credential-holding adults place the highest value on graduate degrees,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-938/)
- [ED resumes collecting defaulted student loans](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/ed-resumes-collecting-delinquent-student-loans/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Monday officially resumed collections on defaulted federal student loans, as recent reports indicate delinquency rates are higher than ever. Those who don't resume payments risk withholdings from Social Security benefits, tax refunds and garnished wages. The federal government has not collected on defaulted student loans since March 2020, when
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-937/)
- [Ohio ASAP shows success beyond completion](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/ohio-asap-shows-success-beyond-completion/) - In 2014, three Ohio colleges set out to improve access and success outcomes for low-income students by adapting the City University of New York’s (CUNY) innovative Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP). A new report from MDRC looks at the eight-year findings from the ASAP Ohio programs. ASAP provides an array of supports to students,
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/funding-roundup-397/) - In Massachusetts, a $100,000 grant to Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) from the George I. Alden Trust will support expanding the college’s Automotive Technology Center. Specifically, the funds will go toward he first phase of a three-part expansion. During this phase, MWCC will install two modular classrooms, adding 2,000 square feet of instructional space. Demand
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/newsmakers-319/) - New CEOs Helen Castellanos Brewer will serve as the ninth president of College of the Mainland (COM) in Texas, effective July 1. She is currently executive vice president for academic and student affairs at COM, bringing more than 20 years of higher education experience to the role. In her current role, Brewer played a pivotal
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-936/)
- [Washington Watch: New ED policy on changing accreditors](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-new-ed-policy-on-changing-accreditors/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) last week issued a "Dear Colleague" letter (DCL) to facilitate the ability of higher education institutions to switch accreditors for the purposes of Title IV approval. It comes on the heels of the president’s April 23 executive order addressing what it called a “dysfunctional” accreditation system. “We must foster a
- [Washington Watch: ‘Skinny budget’ pitches big cuts, federalism](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/washington-watch-skinny-budget-pitches-big-cuts-federalism/) - The Trump administration’s “skinny budget” released Friday reflects its previously stated general priorities, including dramatically reduced domestic spending and the targeting of programs defined as “woke.” As outlined below, higher education is not exempt. The skinny budget that a new presidential administration typically releases before unveiling its full budget proposal does not generally contain much
- [Smart borrowing, strong futures: The institutional advantage of a high student loan repayment rate](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/smart-borrowing-strong-futures-the-institutional-advantage-of-a-high-student-loan-repayment-rate/) - Higher education is more than just earning a degree – it’s about preparing students for long-term success, both professionally and financially. A high student loan repayment rate isn’t just a metric for compliance; it’s a reflection of an institution’s dedication to student financial empowerment, career readiness and overall institutional excellence. Schools that prioritize strong borrower
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/headlines-935/)
- [Call to action: Support the NSF](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/call-to-action-support-the-nsf/) - The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has directed the National Science Foundation (NSF) to terminate active grants. More than 1,000 awards have already been cancelled, with more terminations expected. This comes as Congress considers severe reductions to the NSF budget, putting the future of critical STEM education programs, scientific research and workforce development efforts at
- [Climbing the beanstalk](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/climbing-the-beanstalk/) - At Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts, the marketing team has adopted an unconventional yet fitting metaphor for their professional journey: climbing a beanstalk. While they may not have encountered magic beans or a golden goose at the summit, their experience affirms that meaningful growth is achievable, even within structures that appear flat and where
- [A green career path for the next generation](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/05/a-green-career-path-for-the-next-generation/) - California’s forests are vital to the health of our ecosystems, economy and communities. In a state as large and diverse as ours, forestry professionals play a pivotal role in managing these essential natural resources. However, these roles are often overlooked as viable and important jobs for all Californians. Careers in forestry encompass much more than
- [DataPoints: Trends in awarded credentials](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/datapoints-changes-in-credentials-awarded-at-community-colleges/) - Community colleges awarded more than 1.45 million credentials in the 2022-23 academic year, representing a 21% increase from the 1.19 million awarded 10 years earlier in 2012-13. The total number of credentials awarded was highest during the 2018-19 academic year and started to decline during 2019-20, likely due to the Covid pandemic’s effect on
- [Washington Watch: House ed committee cuts Pell grants, approves risk-sharing](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-house-ed-committee-cuts-pell-grants-approves-risk-sharing/) - The House Education and Workforce Committee on Tuesday passed major changes to federal student aid programs that, if unaltered, will dramatically reduce Pell Grant support for community college students. Institutions would also have to return funds to the federal government for students who have not repaid their student loans, whether due to default or because the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-934/)
- [12 student teams named CCIC finalists](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/12-student-teams-named-ccic-finalists-2/) - A record number of student teams from community colleges across the country competed this year in the annual Community College Innovation Challenge, with the American Association of Community Colleges announcing on Tuesday that 12 teams have advanced to the final round in June. Now in its ninth year, the competition run by AACC, in partnership
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-933/)
- [Washington Watch: Mixed bag on House ed committee's reconciliation bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-mixed-bag-on-house-ed-committees-reconciliation-bill/) - The House Education and Workforce Committee is slated on Tuesday to mark up legislation to comply with the fiscal year 2025 budget resolution’s reconciliation instructions, which direct the committee to save $330 billion over 10 years. The legislation will likely pass on a party-line vote. Democrats plan to offer an array of amendments, most of
- [The next frontier of Pathways](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/the-next-frontier-of-pathways/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In 2015, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) launched the Pathways Project, which presented a model that was outcomes-focused rather than access-oriented. A decade later, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) has taken a new look at that original Pathways framework and research and is presenting a “framework for moving forward,”
- [Forging the future: Building the Web 3.0 workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/forging-the-future-building-the-web-3-0-workforce/) - As community college educators, we are proud to equip students for the challenges of a dynamic job market. With the emergence of Web 3.0, which is a convergence of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), our mission has become even more urgent. These technologies are transforming industries, creating autonomous work
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-932/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/newsmakers-318/) - CEOs on the move Justin Hoggard will serve as the next chancellor of Louisiana Delta Community College, starting on July 1. Hoggard has nearly 20 years of higher education leadership experience, most recently leading Coastal Bend College in Texas for more than five years. Last year, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society honored Hoggard among 23
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-931/)
- [Exploring partnerships in humanities](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/exploring-partnerships-in-humanities/) - Humanities professors and administrators from all 18 public community colleges in New Jersey spent a full day at Princeton University this month for a conference focused on increasing the vitality of the humanities in the college classroom and deepening partnerships with Princeton. The April 11 event, the first in a series, was hosted by Princeton’s
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/snapshots-92/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges. Brookdale Community College automotive technology students return a fully restored 1966 Chrysler Newport police car to the Union Beach, N.J., Police Department, which will join the town's 100th anniversary parade in July. (Photo: BCC)
- [Washington Watch: Trump signs executive order on workforce programs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-trump-signs-executive-order-on-workforce-programs/) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order (EO) entitled "Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future" that orders the secretaries of Commerce, Education and Labor to take specified actions to improve the efficacy of the federal government’s workforce development programs. The order is connected to the Trump administration’s tariffs
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-930/)
- [Washington Watch: White House releases executive order on accreditation](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-white-house-releases-executive-order-on-accreditation/) - President Trump on Wednesday signed a long-anticipated executive order (EO) on accreditation. The document begins by stating that “the accreditors’ job is to determine which institutions provide a quality education. Unfortunately, accreditors have not only failed in this responsibility to students, families, and American taxpayers, but they have also abused their enormous authority.” The statement
- [Redesigned Carnegie Classifications](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/redesigned-carnegie-classifications/) - Newly redesigned Carnegie Classifications released today intend to better reflect how higher education is changing and to make them more useful to stakeholders. Two main classification updates were announced Thursday by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education (ACE). The first is a redesign of the Institutional Classification
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-929/)
- [Driven to succeed](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/driven-to-succeed/) - For most of her life, Houston native Dominique Davis relied on used cars to get around. After a brief experience with a car loan that didn’t pan out, she found herself once again navigating the world of secondhand vehicles — and often unreliable mechanics. That frustration sparked a bold decision: to take matters into her
- [Constructing a career path](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/constructing-a-career-path/) - Towering cranes dominated the skyline, but the spotlight was on one, donned with an American flag. Its steel arm lifted the last massive beam to form the structure of Ford Motor Company’s new 2.7 million-square-foot Ohio Assembly Plant facility. Among those standing on the sprawling 419-acre Lorain County, Ohio, construction site — representing a $1.5 billion
- [Tapping SEM to boost adult learner enrollment](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/tapping-sem-to-boost-adult-learner-enrollment/) - A new brief from California Competes highlights promising practices gathered from 10 California community colleges on their efforts to recruit and retain adult learners who lack a college degree. The state has 6.8 million adults ages 25 to 54 who have a high school diploma but don't have a postsecondary credential, which California Competes says
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-928/)
- [Coverage of AACC 2025](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/a-look-ahead-at-aacc-2025/) - Articles from the 2025 annual American Association of Community Colleges convention April 12-16 in Nashville, Tennessee. AACC Awards of Excellence winnersNASHVILLE, Tenn. — About four years ago, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, Long Beach City College held a student climate survey to gauge how its students were doing. The results were "devastating," according
- [SCCT grants support critical training needs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/scct-grants-support-critical-training-needs/) - The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Strengthening Community College Training (SCCT) Grants Program is the only dedicated source of funding for community colleges in the nation's primary workforce development law, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Recipients say the grants have funded many student workforce initiatives that would not otherwise have been funded. With
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-927/)
- [A tremendous value and a pathway to prosperity](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/a-tremendous-value-and-a-pathway-to-prosperity/) - Making higher education more accessible and affordable is a personal priority for me. As a wealth director, I understand the importance of earning a degree without being unnecessarily saddled with debt. And as a graduate of a Pennsylvania community college, I know firsthand how these institutions can kickstart a career and provide a pathway to
- [ICYMI: AACC 2025 Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/icymi-aacc-2025-snapshots/) - Photos from the annual American Association of Community Colleges convention held this month in Nashville, Tenn. April 14 April 15 April 16
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/funding-roundup-396/) - Alabama Rep. Ben Robbins (R) has donated $5,000 to Central Alabama Community College (CACC) to support student success initiatives across its seven-county service area. The funding will support ongoing academic programs, workforce development and student engagement opportunities that help prepare CACC students for real-world success. Robbins is known as an advocate for education, workforce readiness
- [Washington Watch: It’s time to push for community college funding priorities         ](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-its-time-to-push-for-community-college-funding-priorities/) - The House and Senate appropriations committees have announced the processes for lawmakers to submit their fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding priorities to the committees. So now is the time for community colleges to urge their congressional representatives to include our priorities on their lists. The funding priorities of the American Association of Community Colleges are
- [Easing the burden](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/easing-the-burden/) - Amanda Abens took classes at Pima Community College (Arizona) as a 22-year-old single mother. It was a surprise for those in Abens’ life who didn’t expect her to return to higher education after dropping out of the University of Arizona two years before. "People believed that college was not for me, but when I came
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-926/)
- [April 24: AACC CEO search: virtual listening session](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/april-24-aacc-ceo-search-virtual-listening-session/) - Editor's note: This message is being sent on behalf of AACC board chair Sunny Cooke (president of California's MiraCosta College) and AACC board chair-elect Leigh Goodson (president of Tulsa Community College in Oklahoma). Dear AACC Member Colleagues: It was great to see many of you at the 105th annual meeting in Nashville! We hope you
- [AACC 2025 Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/aacc-2025-snapshots/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Photos from Monday's events and sessions at the annual American Association of Community Colleges convention. (All photos by Adam Auel for AACC)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-925/)
- [Stepping up to support displaced federal workers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/stepping-up-to-support-displaced-federal-workers/) - Montgomery College (MC) has long served as a workforce development anchor in our community. So, when sudden federal workforce reductions hit Maryland, we responded with speed, strategy and heart. Our approach focused on five key actions: supporting highly educated professionals, offering in-demand career coaching, promoting credit for prior learning, organizing local job fairs and accelerating
- [Building a relationship with the community](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/building-a-relationship-with-the-community/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In 2014, a community scan conducted by Harper College revealed that people in Harper’s service area didn’t feel connected to the college. Community members expressed that they only heard from Harper when the college needed something. That feedback spurred Harper to create a community relations program and a community relations manager position.
- [Ky. taps data mapping to improve business partnerships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/ky-taps-data-mapping-to-improve-business-partnerships/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) wanted to get a better understanding of the partnerships its 16 colleges had with business and industry, it launched a systemwide “mapping” initiative in spring 2022. The idea emerged during discussions on how to get more out of partnerships, according to a panel
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-924/)
- [‘Community’ actors get real — sort of](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/community-actors-get-real-sort-of/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ken Jeong wasn’t a real community college teacher – he just played one on TV. But he is a real medical doctor (and he’s played one on TV). He was also a guest at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) annual conference in Nashville. Jeong, who played Spanish teacher Ben Chang on
- [More AACC 2025 Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/more-aacc-2025-snapshots-2/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More photos from the annual American Association of Community Colleges convention. (All photos by Adam Auel for AACC)
- [More AACC 2025 Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/more-aacc-2025-snapshots/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More photos from the annual American Association of Community Colleges convention. (All photos by Adam Auel for AACC)
- [2025 AACC Awards of Excellence winners](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/2025-aacc-awards-of-excellence-winners/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- About four years ago, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, Long Beach City College (LBCC) held a student climate survey to gauge how its students were doing. The results were "devastating," according to Superintendent-President Mike Muñoz. Only 49% of students felt they mattered or belonged at LBCC, said Muñoz. The percentages
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/reporters-notebook-215/) - CCRC appeals loss of several federal grants New admin hires at ED CCRC appeals loss of several federal grants The Community College Research Center (CCRC) is appealing the Trump administration's recent nixing of a handful of federal grants for projects that ranged from an in-depth look at the Federal Work-Study program and a statewide short-term
- [A playbook for presidents new to the job](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/a-playbook-for-presidents-new-to-the-job/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — From landing a presidency to the first 100 days on the job, there are several things new presidents can do to prepare for leadership success. The first steps, of course, are knowing when the time is right to start searching for a presidency and finding the right college to land at. Monica
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-923/)
- [Strategic planning for an uncertain future](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/strategic-planning-for-an-uncertain-future/) - The pace of change is accelerating rapidly. We see evidence of this in our everyday lives, with new innovations in automation and AI emerging almost daily. Such exponential change makes it hard for community college leaders to plan effectively for the future. How can leaders anticipate the trends and developments that will shape their institutions
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-922/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/newsmakers-317/) - CEO on the move Bryan Renfro is the next chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, effective July 1. He is currently president of John Wood Community College (Illinois), a post he has led since 2023, and has more than 20 years of experience in community college leadership, academic instruction and workforce development. “Throughout my career,
- [Taking off the mask](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/taking-off-the-mask/) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tamron Hall landed her first TV news job at the age of 18. Now, after filming more than 1,000 episodes of her national talk show – aptly named “Tamron Hall” – she’s using her power and platform to bring important topics, such as mental health, to the forefront. On Sunday night, Hall
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/reporters-notebook-214/) - Senate bill would allow FIPSE to cover dual-enrollment costs Lack of ED guidance hampers SNAP outreach Senate bill would allow FIPSE to cover dual-enrollment costs Senate lawmakers have reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would broaden the use of certain federal aid programs to support credit-based academic transition programs, including dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment and early college
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-921/)
- [An opportunity for research and more](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/an-opportunity-for-research-and-more/) - Fifteen community college students were in the spotlight during Research Week at the University of the District Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) earlier this month. All of them are members of the Interdisciplinary Research Club that the college launched last fall to provide a centralized structure for community college students in various majors to add research
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-920/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/funding-roundup-395/) - Tyler Junior College’s (TJC) Center for Learning and Development has received a $23,500 gift from the Cooperative Teachers Credit Union to support the Faculty First Year Experience, the Active Learning Academy and the Great Teachers Retreat, which provide TJC educators with professional development opportunities. “This investment will allow our talented faculty to explore new pedagogical
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-919/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-918/)
- [Partnership program transforms students’ lives](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/partnership-program-transforms-students-lives/) - Johnson Controls launched the Community College Partnership Program in 2021 and is on track to donate up to $15 million by the end of 2026. The program has provided 30 community colleges (so far) with funding to expand access to educational programs in the HVAC, fire, security and digital disciplines. Mike Schade is Johnson Controls’
- [Linking credentials to earnings](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/linking-credentials-to-earnings/) - A new report from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) takes an in-depth look at connecting credentials from community colleges with earnings, showing which types of degrees and certificates lead to good-paying jobs and careers -- and which typically don't. Workforce development is included in most awards earned at community colleges. More than half (56%)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-917/)
- [Washington Watch: Game on, House earmarks](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-game-on-house-earmarks/) - In a somewhat unanticipated development, the House Appropriations Committee has announced procedures for Community Project Spending (CPS), better known as earmarks, for the upcoming 2026 fiscal year. Committee chair Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) has informed congressional legislators that they can make earmark submissions as of April 14. Projects contained in the FY 2025 funding legislation,
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/snapshots-91/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/funding-roundup-394/) - A donation to Alamo Colleges District and its Student Advocacy Center Network will help struggling students. H-E-B announced the $400,000 donation, through its Hunger Relief program, during a recent event at St. Philip’s College, one of the Alamo Colleges. The donation will support scholarships and strengthen resources available to students facing food insecurity and other
- [DataPoints: State funding for higher education](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/datapoints-state-funding-for-higher-education/) - Total state support for higher education increased by 4.3% for fiscal year 2025, based on data recently released by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) in its annual Grapevine report. However, after adjusting for the effects of inflation, the increase was a more modest 1.3%. The level of support from FY 2019 (prior to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-916/)
- [Student loan repayment: A crisis of confusion and consequence](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/student-loan-repayment-a-crisis-of-confusion-and-consequence/) - For millions of Americans, the return of student loan payments has been anything but smooth. After more than three years of paused payments, many borrowers are struggling to find their footing again – and the data paints a troubling picture. An analysis of government data by VantageScore reveals that a staggering 43% of borrowers have
- [Washington Watch: House introduces bipartisan Tax-Free Pell Grant bill](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-house-introduces-bipartisan-tax-free-pell-grant-bill/) - House lawmakers introduced the bipartisan Tax-Free Pell Grant Act last week, with the Senate expected to introduce a bipartisan companion bill soon. The House measure was introduced on April 4 by Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Mike Kelly (R-Pennsylvania), Danny Davis (D-Illinois) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa). All four legislators sit on the House Ways and Means Committee
- [Washington Watch: Senate unveils new version of budget resolution](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/washington-watch-senate-unveils-new-version-of-budget-resolution/) - Senate Republican leaders have unveiled a new fiscal year 2025 budget resolution that they will soon consider on the floor. The resolution will only garner Republican support, and if it is passed, the House must then approve the same resolution in order for congressional committees to begin drafting budget reconciliation legislation, which is likely to
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/reporters-notebook-213/) - ED looks to revamp several Title IV program regs SUNY to expand ASAP to other community colleges Construction training to help rebuild western North Carolina ED looks to revamp several Title IV program regs The U.S. Education Department (ED) announced on Thursday that it plans to hold negotiated rulemaking to streamline and improve several Title
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-915/)
- [Don’t let the AI race burn out your faculty innovators](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/dont-let-the-ai-race-burn-out-your-faculty-innovators/) - Apple TV's “most-watched show ever” wrapped up its second season recently, firmly establishing its status as a cultural phenomenon. “Severance” follows a small group of workers at a company called Lumon who choose to undergo a surgical procedure that separates their work-life memories from their personal memories, creating two distinct identities known as “innies” and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-914/)
- [The nitty gritty of online fundraising](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/the-nitty-gritty-of-online-fundraising/) - There are a variety of steps and methods to secure one-time and continuing gifts through online fundraising. Below are some of the keys to our online fundraising efforts at Orange Coast College (OCC). The first step in online giving is having a landing page where donors can make gifts via credit card. Having a landing
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/headlines-913/)
- [Keeping all social media posts on-brand](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/keeping-all-social-media-posts-on-brand/) - Managing social media for a college is a bit like throwing a house party where everyone wants to be the DJ. Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) in Massachusetts has figured out a way to keep things engaging, organized and (most importantly) on-brand. But here’s the twist: If you, a “non-marcom” employee or student group, want
- [Invest in growth](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/invest-in-growth/) - Nearly 90% of millennials rate professional development as important in their choice to stay at a job, according to a recent Gallup report. Yet professional development remains notoriously undervalued, especially in higher ed. It’s almost cliché that the standard procedure for many institutions is to axe it at the first signs of budgetary stress. Faced
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/04/newsmakers-316/) - New CEO Hellen Castellanos Brewer is the new president of the College of the Mainland (COM) in Texas, effective July 1. She is currently the Texas college's executive vice president for academic and student affairs. As executive VP, Brewer -- who previously served as COM's vice president for student services -- helped to lead the
- [Supporting student healthcare scholarships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/supporting-student-healthcare-scholarships/) - As Anna spread the cold ultrasound gel on my chest just above my heart, I couldn't help but ask: "How did you get into this career?" It's probably not the first question she usually hears from a patient when prepping for a cardiac scan, but then again how many patients are the editor of Community
- [Averting the transfer trap](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/averting-the-transfer-trap/) - After several years of pandemic-related declines, college transfer rates are once again on the rise. This is welcome news. College transfer has long been viewed as a crucial pathway to economic mobility. For millions of students who start their postsecondary journey at one of the nation’s community colleges, transferring to a four-year institution has the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-912/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-911/)
- [Aviation programs take flight](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/aviation-programs-take-flight/) - Dallas College announced last week the launch of a new aviation maintenance technology (AMT) program, set to begin April 1. The Texas college is one of several community colleges launching or expanding programs to prepare the next generation of workers for the aviation and aerospace industries. Northwestern Michigan College and West Virginia’s Pierpont Community and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-910/)
- [‘Pragmatic’ choices, financial aid help Latino students pay for college](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/pragmatic-choices-financial-aid-help-latino-students-pay-for-college/) - Latino students are making “informed and pragmatic choices” when it comes to paying for college, according to a new brief from Excelencia in Education. At the same time, select colleges and universities are working to make a quality education more affordable for Latino – and all – students. In 2005, the Excelencia released the first
- [ED reopens federal student loan repayment applications](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/ed-reopens-federal-student-loan-repayment-applications/) - The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) today reopened the online income-driven repayment (IDR) plan and loan consolidation applications for borrowers. The application was paused for several weeks to comply with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals injunction issued last month. The court directed ED to cease implementation of the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-909/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/funding-roundup-393/) - Duke Energy Foundation has awarded a total of $500,000 to support 19 North Carolina community college programs that are creating a pipeline of skilled workers who will help meet the energy industry's growing workforce needs. A $100,000 grant also will support the Forward Fund to help students in Southeastern North Carolina attain high-wage employment opportunities.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-908/)
- [College provides educational opportunity for neighbors to the north](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/college-provides-educational-opportunity-for-neighbors-to-the-north/) - Williston State College (WSC) in North Dakota is located just 60 miles from the Canadian border. As a way to grow enrollment and expand educational opportunities for everyone – including those across the border – the college is launching the Canadian Par Value initiative. The program will offer reduced tuition for students from Canada. WSC
- [A new pathway to the logging workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/a-new-pathway-to-the-logging-workforce/) - A new logging equipment operator apprenticeship program offered by the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center will give aspiring logging professionals a hands-on pathway to careers while helping address a critical need for more highly trained logging machine operators. “This program couldn’t come at a better time for our industry,” said Clete Edmunson, executive director
- [Illinois college expands OER initiative](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/illinois-college-expands-oer-initiative/) - Waubonsee Community College student Audrie Schaubel’s first encounter with open educational resources (OER) began at Rosary High School, where she conducted a research project on the monopoly of the textbook industry. At the time, the idea of free high-quality textbooks seemed more theoretical than practical. But just a year later, as a Waubonsee student, Schaubel
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-907/)
- [Supporting nursing students through Random Acts of Kindness](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/supporting-nursing-students-through-random-acts-of-kindness/) - The Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Fund is known throughout Minneapolis College for helping students meet basic needs such as one-time emergency expenses, transportation costs, food, and fees related to taking certification exams after graduation. Recognizing the importance of providing emergency grants and seeing first-hand how a financial hardship impacted some of the dedicated students
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-906/)
- [Viewpoint: The power of women in community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/viewpoint-the-power-of-women-in-community-colleges/) - Women's History Month is a time for reflection, celebration and action. In community colleges, where we serve as bridges to opportunity, it is our duty to honor the resilience of the women before us and continue the urgent, unfinished work of advancing equity in higher education. From suffragists who fought for the right to vote
- [Washington Watch: Trump signs executive order to begin dismantling ED](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/washington-watch-trump-signs-executive-order-to-begin-dismantling-ed/) - Surrounded by school children, Republican governors and others, President Trump signed a brief executive order (EO) on Thursday directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education (ED) and return authority over education to the States and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-905/)
- [Students say industry-recognized certifications provide value](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/students-say-industry-recognized-certifications-provide-value/) - Community college students believe combining an academic degree with an industry-recognized certification expands their employment options, according to new research from CompTIA, Inc. A total of 462 community college students completed CompTIA’s student trends survey. The majority (83%) indicated that industry-recognized certifications provide value by validating that their skills are relevant and up to date.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-904/)
- [Belief in the cause](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/belief-in-the-cause/) - Shannon Plate has been a mental health therapist for 20 years, a journey that began in her late 30s as a returning student at Harper College in Illinois. Plate attended two other schools after Harper—including a master’s program at Trinity International University—yet it’s her community college experience that she looks upon most fondly. "The encouragement
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-903/)
- [Portland Community College launches reimagined eye care program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/portland-community-college-launches-reimagined-eye-care-program/) - A revamped eye tech program at Oregon's Portland Community College (PCC) will save students time and money, and better meet industry demands. The eye technician certificate program provides a streamlined, one-year curriculum designed to address the evolving needs of students and the healthcare industry. The program replaces the previous two-year degree format – previously called
- [Early reports show spring enrollment increases](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/early-reports-show-spring-enrollment-increases/) - Though final numbers aren’t in yet, there seems to be a trend of rising enrollment for the spring semester at community colleges. Systemwide growth The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) reported this week that enrollment at the state’s community colleges grew to more than 285,000 in the spring semester this year. That’s an 8.9% increase
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-902/)
- [Rethinking the degree: Enter Credential College](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/rethinking-the-degree-enter-credential-college/) - Dallas Christiansen owed his younger brother Troy $35. Through graciousness not always extended between brothers, Troy afforded Dallas an opportunity to settle the debt for less than the past due amount. The screen on Troy’s iPhone was broken. A replacement only costs around $12, but not many people have the technical background to make the
- [Washington Watch: FY25 funding is in the books](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/washington-watch-fy25-funding-is-in-the-books/) - President Donald Trump on Friday night signed a year-long continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year (FY) 2025, ensuring funding for federal agencies through September 30. The bill made it through the Senate with several key Democratic votes. The debate has riven the Democratic party; those who supported the measure, notably Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-901/)
- [Washington Watch: Easing concerns about ED programs after layoffs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/washington-watch-easing-concerns-about-ed-programs-after-layoffs/) - U.S. Education Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron on Friday sent a letter to education stakeholders addressing concerns over the massive layoffs -- officially called “Reductions in Force” (RIFs) -- that occurred at the Education Department (ED) earlier in the week. Bergeron has served in a variety of higher education policymaking roles in Washington, D.C., and
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/newsmakers-315/) - New CEO Larry Miller will become the third president of South Carolina's Greenville Technical College (GTC) in July. For the past five years, he has served as the college's vice president of learning and workforce development. College leaders noted Miller's accomplishments at GTC, including increasing the number of credentials awarded by 238% in one calendar
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-900/)
- [NOVA program to help dislocated federal workers, contractors](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/nova-program-to-help-dislocated-federal-workers-contractors/) - Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has announced it is committing up to $1 million in scholarships to a new program that will help recently unemployed federal workers and federal contractors transition to their next job. NOVA New Employment, Exploration and Transition (NOVAnext) is free to approved participants who can enroll in one of 14 courses
- [A conversation with college CEOs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/a-conversation-with-college-ceos/) - The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) next week will hold an off-the-record virtual conversation for its AACC-member CEOs to gauge their top-of-mind issues. With all that is happening in Washington, the peer-to-peer discussion on March 18 is intended to inform AACC about what questions CEOs have and what tools and resources could help them.
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/funding-roundup-391/) - In North Carolina, the Brunswick Community College (BCC) Dolphins Men’s Basketball team just finished the regular season with a historic undefeated home record of 17-0. On top of that, longtime supporters Joe and Moe Stanley presented a $72,000 donation to the Foundation of BCC in support of the team. The Stanley brothers, lifelong Brunswick County
- [Wielding quiet leadership](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/wielding-quiet-leadership/) - I often talk to new community college presidents about the need to be nimble and dexterous when it comes to leadership. Indeed, being able to respond quickly and effectively is an important skill that will be often tested throughout your career. It’s not just about being responsive, it is also about being seen as responsive
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-899/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/reporters-notebook-212/) - ED to cut workforce by nearly half House passes CR for rest of FY 2025 Opportunity to participate in student success research ED to cut workforce by nearly half The U.S. Education Department (ED) announced Tuesday evening that it will begin cutting its workforce of more than 4,000 by nearly half, beginning on March 21,
- [Washington Watch: Executive order targets PSLF](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/washington-watch-executive-order-targets-pslf/) - The ultimate effect of last Friday’s executive order (EO) — “Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness” — is unclear, but it could well affect both community college students and employees. Despite the president’s executive branch action, Congress may also make additional modifications. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about PSLF is charged. The EO directs federal agencies to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-898/)
- [Life after HEERF](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/life-after-heerf/) - Like many institutions, Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Massachusetts, used the emergency funding it received during the pandemic in a variety of ways. A large portion of this money went directly to students in the form of debt forgiveness and other assistance. Some went toward capital improvements, such as upgrading the HVAC system to enhance
- [Washington Watch: Rocky road for House Republicans’ CR plan](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/washington-watch-rocky-road-for-house-republicans-cr-plan/) - House Republicans this weekend released a continuing resolution (CR) to extend fiscal year 2024 (FY 24) funding levels through September and avoid a partial government shutdown. In December, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved 12 bipartisan FY 25 funding bills, while House conservatives continued to push for further domestic spending reductions. The chambers couldn’t bridge the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-897/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/funding-roundup-390/) - In Texas, a $250,000 gift to Austin Community College District (ACC) will establish a new scholarship and food pantry for students. The gift is from Jimmy and Cindi Ferguson. Of the funds, $150,000 will establish the Ferguson Family McDonald’s Endowed Scholarship, $80,000 will establish the Elgin Campus Student Life Food Pantry Endowment, and $20,000 will
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/newsmakers-314/) - Kudos Warren Nichols, president of College of the Mainland (COM) in Texas, will receive the Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award and will be inducted into the Texas Hall of Honor for Retiring Presidents by the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. The award is presented to retiring college presidents nominated by their PTK chapter in
- [Why hidden delinquencies are a growing threat to your institution – and what you can do about it](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/why-hidden-delinquencies-are-a-growing-threat-to-your-institution-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/) - If your Cohort Default Rate (CDR) looks low, you might assume your institution is in the clear. But the numbers tell a different story. Over 30% of borrowers are currently not making payments – and many have no plans to start. That means thousands of students are at risk of falling into delinquency, and your
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-896/)
- [Different approaches to CCIC mentoring](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/different-approaches-to-ccic-mentoring/) - The faculty mentors of teams from Perimeter College at Georgia State University and Dallas College, which placed first and second, respectively, at the 2024 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) had different approaches to the academic competition. Janna K. Blum, associate professor of physical sciences at Perimeter College, was asked by students Shalom Ejiwunmi, Sophia Bereket,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-895/)
- [Senate Dems to USDA: Reinstate HSI fellowship program](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/senate-dems-to-usda-reinstate-hsi-fellowship-program/) - Senate Democrats on Thursday asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately reinstate a fellowship program for educators at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), including community colleges designated as HSIs. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California), chair of the Senate HSI Caucus, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry,
- [Washington Watch: Big stakes for community colleges in budget debates](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/washington-watch-big-stakes-for-community-colleges-in-budget-debates/) - The shaping and adoption of a fiscal year 2026 budget resolution by congressional Republicans has huge implications for community colleges and their students. Baked into the discussions of broad fiscal policy are assumptions about the amount of spending reductions that congressional committees must find to meet the resolution’s objectives. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
- [Advocacy quick hits: Federal funding extension to expire next Friday](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/advocacy-quick-hits-federal-funding-extension-to-expire-next-friday/) - Lawmakers in the House and Senate face a looming March 14 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown. Congress in December passed a short-term funding bill – called a continuing resolution (CR) – to fund the government through mid-March. Months later, Congress appears no closer to finalize fiscal year 2025 (FY 25) spending levels, and
- [WIOA reauthorization back on track](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/wioa-reauthorization-back-on-track/) - During a House Education and Workforce panel hearing on Wednesday, members from both parties showed that they are eager to keep the momentum going to reauthorize the nation's main workforce development legislation, which missed congressional passage in December by a hair. The opening remarks from the chair and ranking member of the Higher Education and
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-894/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/funding-roundup-389/) - El Paso Community College (EPCC) will use a $137,960 grant to develop training for a local company. The 12-month grant from the Texas Workforce Commission will allow the Texas college to provide more than 5,100 hours of training for 65 employees at Vinton Steel. The training will upskill workers for high-demand occupations like electrical maintenance
- [Snapshots](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/snapshots-90/) - Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges.
- [Transfer enrollment grows](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/transfer-enrollment-grows/) - The number of undergraduates transferring to a new institution grew for the third straight year. College transfer enrollment increased by 4.4% (+50,600 students) in fall 2024, according to the new Transfer Enrollment and Pathways report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Additionally, 2024 transfer enrollment is ahead of fall 2020 levels by 7.9% “Students
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-893/)
- [To play or not to play](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/to-play-or-not-to-play/) - After not offering intercollegiate sports for well over a decade, Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has launched an e-sports program this school year and will start both women’s volleyball and men’s basketball in 2025-26 school. In contrast, Mountain Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge, Virginia, has offered men’s basketball for the past
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/headlines-892/)
- [Butchery program supplies meat prep workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/butchery-program-supplies-meat-prep-workforce/) - It's an adventurous year for Madison College student Robert Moreland who is visiting local farms to learn how pigs are processed for meat. The North Carolina native moved to Wisconsin, attracted by the free tuition offered by the college’s renowned two-year Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery program, which teaches exceptional butchery skills — an art that
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/newsmakers-313/) - CEO on the move Justin Guillory will become president of Whatcom Community College (Washington) as of May 1. He previously served for 12 years as president of Northwest Indian College (NWIC) until October 2024. “With a proven commitment to student success, academic excellence and community engagement, Justin is well-equipped to build on our college’s values
- [CCBs at a competitive price](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/03/ccbs-at-a-competitive-price/) - In today's economic climate, the cost of higher education remains a significant barrier for many students pursuing a bachelor's degree. However, a growing option is changing the landscape: community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs. New research across 13 states offering these programs reveals that CCBs provide substantial cost savings. Recent data confirms what many educators have
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-891/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-890/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-889/)
- [Empowering faculty to lead AI decision-making](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/empowering-faculty-to-lead-ai-decision-making/) - AI is no longer on the horizon — it’s here, already shaping how students learn, complete assignments and develop skills. Whether we choose to actively integrate AI into teaching and learning or simply acknowledge its presence, one thing is clear: our approach to education must be AI-aware. Faculty are well-positioned to lead this shift. With
- [AI for educators](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/ai-for-educators/) - A new Santa Monica College (SMC) course prepares educators from all disciplines to train their students in using artificial intelligence appropriately, effectively and ethically. SMC's "Education 50: Teaching in the Age of AI" (EDUC 50) course enables the college’s instructors to leverage the technology’s benefits for students while preserving academic integrity. “It’s about understanding AI’s
- [Outstanding alumni in the spotlight](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/outstanding-alumni-in-the-spotlight/) - Each year, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) honors community college alumni who have gone on to do amazing things. This year, the association will recognize three people who are dedicated to serving their communities and their county. (See their profiles, below.) AACC will celebrate the 2025 Outstanding Alumni and their colleges at AACC
- [DataPoints: Updated ROI of credentials](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/datapoints-updated-roi-of-credentials/) - Institutions that predominantly offer associate degrees or certificates often have a higher return on investment (ROI) after 10 years than institutions that predominantly offer bachelor's degrees. However, over 40 years, the value of bachelor's degrees typically outpaces those of institutions that predominantly offer associate degrees and certificates. (See graph, below.) The findings come from the
- [A review of CTE policy actions among states](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/a-review-of-cte-policy-actions-among-states/) - An annual review of states' policy actions regarding career and technical education (CTE) shows that funding was the top topic over the past year, followed by industry partnerships/work-based learning, and then access and supports. The analysis comes from Advance CTE and the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE), which represent mainly secondary programs but
- [An AI playday](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/an-ai-playday/) - Educators, administrators, staff and other interested parties from community colleges and institutions dove a little deeper into AI in higher education, a particularly hot topic at colleges and universities. The Instructional Technology Council (ITC) gathered virtually on February 14 for a five-hour AI summit that showcased innovation and collaboration, with Pikes Peak State College’s (PPSC)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/funding-roundup-388/) - San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes and his wife, Brittany Barnes, have donated $250,000 to the AlamoPROMISE tuition-free program. The donation will benefit students at St. Philip’s College, which is part of the Alamo Colleges District. The contribution will help eliminate financial barriers and expand educational opportunities for students pursuing their academic and career goals.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-888/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/reporters-notebook-211/) - California colleges to study shortened programs Louisiana's first aviation maintenance apprenticeship program Utah college, USA Climbing partner to support athletes California colleges to study shortened programs A new project will examine the benefits of shortened academic programs in opening access and flexibility to more California community college students. It also will propose ways to scale
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-887/)
- [Alabama’s workforce is key to manufacturing’s future](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/alabamas-workforce-is-key-to-manufacturings-future/) - Huntsville has long been a symbol of American innovation. From the Apollo missions to the cutting-edge work happening today at Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center, this city embodies the power of American ingenuity. That same spirit of innovation fuels our nation’s manufacturing industry — an industry that is not only driving economic
- [A fresh start for one community’s unhoused population](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/a-fresh-start-for-one-communitys-unhoused-population/) - At Pima Community College (PCC), serving “nontraditional” learners is a specialty. The college has become particularly adept at getting adults enrolled in and through training programs and into high-wage jobs. In 2021, it launched FastTrack, a program that allows learners to earn a stackable micro-credential in three to six months. “Providing market-driven curriculum is a
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/newsmakers-312/) - Interim CEO Diane Duffy will become interim chancellor of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), effective July 1. Since 2018, she has served as the system's executive vice chancellor and chief strategy officer. Duffy has more than three decades of experience in higher education leadership, finance and policy, according to a release from CCCS. She
- [Developing dashboards to share data](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/developing-dashboards-to-share-data/) - Online dashboards displaying key metrics can help focus stakeholder attention on progress in community college workforce development efforts. Two Ohio community college leaders will detail their approaches in a presentation at AACC 2025 in April. “There's a very high level of interest in Ohio right now around workforce outcomes and the value of different levels
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-886/) - >
- [What the Feb. 14 'Dear Colleague' letter means for community colleges](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/what-the-feb-14-dear-colleague-letter-means-for-community-colleges/) - The U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague letter on February 14 outlining its interpretation of the legal obligations of educational institutions since the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The broad interpretation states that, “[p]ut simply, educational institutions may neither separate nor segregate students based
- [Washington Watch: Deciphering ED’s ‘Dear Colleague’ letter](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/washington-watch-deciphering-eds-dear-colleague-letter/) - As campus officials are aware, the U.S. Education Department’s (ED) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) sent a “Dear Colleague” letter on February 14 to institutions of higher education to “clarify and reaffirm the nondiscrimination obligations of schools.” The letter points out that it does not have the force and effect of law and does not
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-885/)
- [Advocacy quick hits: GE/FVT reporting deadline extended](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/advocacy-quick-hits-ge-fvt-reporting-deadline-extended/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) is extending the deadline for Gainful Employment/Financial Value Transparency (GE/FVT) reporting to September 30. Colleges also have until September 30 to review and submit corrections to Completers’ Lists, according to ED. Colleges were required to report both their GE/FVT data and edits to the Completers’ Lists by January 15. However,
- [Lessons in mentoring from the bus garage](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/lessons-in-mentoring-from-the-bus-garage/) - My maternal grandfather was a tough guy to impress, particularly about the role and value of education. He was a traditional Italian-American man, with an endless work ethic and had dropped out of formal education after 8th grade in order to work to support his family through the Depression. He had a long career as
- [Focused on registered apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/focused-on-registered-apprenticeships/) - President Donald Trump's pick for labor secretary said at her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday that she would focus on beefing up registered apprenticeships, noting that she hasn't yet talked to the president about non-registered apprenticeships, which many congressional Republicans support, as did Trump during his first presidency. Some members of the Senate Health, Education,
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-884/)
- [This week’s poll: Spring enrollment projections](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/this-weeks-poll-spring-enrollment-projections/)
- [Providing students with local work experience](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/providing-students-with-local-work-experience/) - Yosef Erasmus always knew he wanted to work in the engineering field. But when he began exploring four-year degree programs, he was frustrated by the lack of hands-on learning opportunities. That all changed when he discovered Pellissippi State Community College’s Earn and Learn program — an innovative pathway that blends classroom instruction with real-world, paid
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-883/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/newsmakers-311/) - New CEOs Kristin L. Mallory will become president of Pennsylvania's Westmoreland County Community College, effective July 1. She is currently vice president for academic affairs at Wor-Wic Community College (Maryland), a position she has held since 2017. Mallory was cited by college leaders for her commitment to improving educational outcomes and growing workforce development opportunities
- [Think radical imagination](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/think-radical-imagination/) - Sixteen years ago, I stepped into the world of higher education. I never imagined I would find myself here, serving as a community college president of Bay College in central Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.) If someone would have told me back then, my first response would have been, "I am definitely not following in my
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-882/)
- [Corporate partnerships helped spark Allegheny’s $90M campaign](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/corporate-partnerships-helped-spark-alleghenys-90m-campaign/) - The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) tapped into an array of corporate partnerships as part of a fundraising initiative called the Pioneering Pittsburgh’s New Workforce Campaign, which blew past its original $65 million goal to reach $90 million in contributions, nearly 20% of which came from the business sector. Aimed primarily at bolstering
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-881/)
- [Advocacy quick hits: How will nixing ED research contracts affect IPEDS?](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/advocacy-quick-hits-how-will-nixing-ed-research-contracts-affect-ipeds/) - Higher education advocates are watching how the Trump administration's canceling this week of nearly $900 million in contracts supporting the functions of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) may affect various Education Department (ED) tools and data, such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). IES is an independent research agency within the department
- [McMahon: Workforce Pell and more CTE](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/mcmahon-workforce-pell-and-more-cte/) - At her Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday, Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon said that she continues to support a wider array of postsecondary education and training pathways and reiterated her wish to see Pell grants extended to certain short-term workforce development programs. During the two-and-a-half hour Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing --
- [AACC's Bumphus to retire at year's end](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/aaccs-bumphus-to-retire-at-years-end/) - After a storied career spanning more than five decades, American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) President and CEO Walter G. Bumphus announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of the year. “On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank Dr. Bumphus for his leadership at AACC,” said Sunita
- [Workforce engines that provide economic mobility](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/workforce-engines-that-provide-economic-mobility/) - During a House appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday that focused on the role of community colleges in preparing Americans for jobs, several GOP lawmakers questioned a panel of witnesses -- which included a community college president -- about extending Pell Grant eligibility to certain short-term programs, alluding to their support of it. Republican and Democratic
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-880/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/funding-roundup-387/) - Lone Star College (LSC) students now have access to more technology. Comcast has provided more than $100,000 in equipment for students at LSC-Kingwood and LSC-Montgomery to ensure students have the technology and digital literacy needed to succeed in the classroom. The partnership between Comcast and LSC Foundation comes as Comcast expands its network into Montgomery
- [Moving ahead on 'community vibrancy'](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/moving-ahead-on-community-vibrancy/) - A new report from Achieving the Dream (ATD) offers early findings from 15 community colleges participating in an ATD initiative that focuses on "community vibrancy," which aims to expand access to higher education, create greater social and economic mobility for more learners and their families, and help communities prosper. The report released Wednesday highlights the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-879/)
- [Another push for JOBS Act](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/another-push-for-jobs-act/) - Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) this month again reintroduced bipartisan legislation to allow Pell grants to be used for certain short-term, high-quality workforce development programs. Kaine, along with Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), on February 4 filed the the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act of 2025 (S.
- [ED reverts Perkins CTE reporting requirements](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/ed-reverts-cte-reporting-requirements/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Monday announced it is nixing recently revised data collection requirements for Perkins V programs. ED called the Biden administration requirements "a misguided regulatory reporting scheme" that would require states and the local career and technical education (CTE) programs to comply with burdensome and unnecessary reporting. "The last-minute Biden-era information
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-878/)
- [Ready for a new era of driving](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/ready-for-a-new-era-of-driving/) - On your daily commute, you probably see numerous electric vehicles (EVs) on the road, even if you don’t know it. Once novel and prohibitively expensive, EVs have become far more mainstream in recent years. Technological advances, along with the entry of more manufacturers into the EV market, have made these vehicles accessible to a larger
- [Expanding dual enrollment in rural California](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/expanding-dual-enrollment-in-rural-california/) - Editor’s note: This article kicks off a series that will examine some of the topics and sessions that will be featured at the American Association of Community Colleges’ annual convention, which will be held April 12-16 in Nashville, Tennessee. Register today. Community colleges have long been pioneers in dual enrollment, with these programs now comprising
- [AACC Fast Facts 2025](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/aacc-fast-facts-2025/) - Community college students comprise 39% of all U.S. undergraduates, with nearly half (49%) of Hispanic college and university students attending community college, according to the new Fast Facts 2025 from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The annual AACC analysis of federal data also shows that 53% of Native American undergrads, 39% of Black
- [Weaving through micro-pathways](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/weaving-through-micro-pathways/) - Excerpted with permission from the new book Who Needs College Anymore? Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter by Kathleen deLaski, February 2025, published by Harvard Education Press. deLaski, founder and board chair of Education Lab Design, which works with colleges to better align their institutions with the world of work. The following comes from
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-877/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/newsmakers-310/) - New president Rick W. Smith is the new president of Dallas College's North Lake Campus. He previously served at Simmons College of Kentucky as senior vice president of institutional advancement and administrative projects. Dallas College cited Smith's more than 30 years of broad experience across various industries — such as media, development and healthcare —
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-876/)
- [Redefining work-life balance](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/redefining-work-life-balance/) - As the demands of higher education evolve, community college leaders often find themselves navigating competing priorities, making work-life balance seem out of reach. However, the start of a new year presents an opportunity to reassess goals and adopt strategies that support both professional success and personal well-being. Rather than chasing the often unattainable ideal of
- [Bill pitches scholarships for 2-year cybersecurity programs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/bill-pitches-scholarships-for-2-year-cybersecurity-programs/) - To help fill a huge gap in the nation's cybersecurity workforce, the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday reintroduced a bill that would provide full scholarships to college students pursuing a two-year cyber degree in exchange for government service. But Democrats on the committee wondered if Americans' interest in working for the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-875/)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/funding-roundup-386/) - Clark State College can enhance campus safety thanks to a $439,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education and distributed through the Ohio School Safety Center. Clark State will install high-resolution cameras, improve building access and strengthen partnerships with first responders and emergency management agencies. In addition, the college plans to implement real-time weather
- [Sparking interest in energy jobs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/sparking-interest-in-energy-jobs/) - CORONADO, Calif. — There are a growing number of jobs in the energy industry – jobs with good wages and benefits. In 2023, clean energy jobs alone grew at more than double the rate (4.9%) of job growth in the rest of the economy (2.0%), adding 149,000 new jobs, according to a U.S. Department of
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-874/)
- [Washington Watch: A projected Pell Grant shortfall](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/washington-watch-a-projected-pell-grant-shortfall/) - Federal budget scorekeepers have just provided both good news and bad news for the Pell Grant program. The good news is that more students are qualifying for grants, and many are receiving larger ones. These expansions largely stem from eligibility changes made in the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020. The bad news is that this
- [A collective workforce effort](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/a-collective-workforce-effort/) - CORONADO, Calif. — Getting students skilled and into the workforce fast is not new to community colleges. But as the number of job openings climbs across multiple sectors, colleges are also ramping up short-term programs while adding new supports to make them more accessible. College leaders spoke about their programs and partnerships during a panel
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-873/)
- [How one college became a CCIC finalist twice](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/how-one-college-became-a-ccic-finalist-twice/) - Coalinga College chemistry professor Kenneth Henry enjoys a rare distinction. He is the only community college faculty member to have mentored two teams selected for the finalist round of the Community College Challenge (CCIC) in consecutive years. In 2023 and 2024, projects developed by two different groups of Coalinga College students who were taking Henry’s
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/headlines-872/)
- [Words of skill and encouragement](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/words-of-skill-and-encouragement/) - When Neimo Ali settled in San Diego after immigrating from Ethiopia, she didn’t know more than a few words of English, had little in the way of job skills and was uncertain about her future. What she did have was determination. And that determination led her to the San Diego College of Continuing Education’s award-winning
- [Ensuring economic mobility for students](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/ensuring-economic-mobility-for-students/) - CORONADO, Calif. — Getting students through workforce programs and into high-wage jobs requires integrated supports. And at Dallas College, it requires “barrier-busting,” says Carlos Cruz. Cruz is the associate vice chancellor of the college, where the Career-Connected Learning (CCL) program provides access to skills training and connections to high-wage jobs for, mainly, unemployed and underemployed
- [Managing student loan delinquency](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/managing-student-loan-delinquency/) - Many schools may feel a false sense of security seeing their Cohort Default Rate (CDR) sitting at zero. However, now is not the time to sit back and relax. According to recent survey data, over 30% of borrowers are not making payments and have no plans to do so. This paints a stark reality: while
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-871/)
- [Promising news on credential attainment](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/promising-news-on-credential-attainment/) - U.S. credential attainment among working-age adults is edging closer to a goal of 60% by 2025 set by Lumina Foundation in 2008. The foundation on Thursday released its latest findings pertaining to adults age 25 to 64 who have acquired college degrees, certificates, industry-recognized certifications or other credentials of value. The data from 2023 (the
- [OMB rescinds federal funding freeze](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/omb-rescinds-federal-funding-freeze/) - The Trump administration on Wednesday rescinded its proposed pause of federal funding, which was placed on temporary hold until February 3 by a federal district court. A January 29 memo from Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Matthew Vaeth to the heads of executive departments and agencies was brief: "OMB Memorandum M-25-13 is rescinded.
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-870/)
- [Viewpoint: Taking a 45-day break…sort of](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/viewpoint-taking-a-45-day-breaksort-of/) - After more than 18 years leading two different colleges in executive/presidential roles, and 32 years in higher education, I knew I needed, at a minimum, a refresh or some time to consolidate my thoughts and reflect on my work leading the college. I also knew I would need a pause of sorts to prepare for
- [Washington Watch: Court temporarily halts federal funding freeze](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/washington-watch-court-temporarily-halts-federal-funding-freeze/) - President Donald Trump this week released a directive to the heads of executive departments and agencies to pause all spending on federal grants, loans and financial assistance programs to evaluate whether they are “implicated by” the executive orders issued last week, and with administration policies generally. But just as the pause was scheduled to begin
- [Update on executive orders](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/update-on-executive-orders/) - As with any new presidential administration, we are working to engage with President Trump and his team to ensure that community colleges remain top of mind as new policies and programs are implemented at the federal level. I am proud that we have been able to foster positive relationships with every administration in recent history
- [Strengthening K-12 and community college relationships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/strengthening-k-12-and-community-college-relationships/) - A key piece of the cradle-to-career pathway is building strong bridges between secondary and postsecondary institutions. David Schuler, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, outlines the importance of K-12 and community college partnerships, particularly as dual- and concurrent-enrollment programs grow. This article comes from the current issue of the Community College Journal, the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/31526/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/newsmakers-309/) - New CEO Doug Binsfeld will serve as the next president of Northern Maine Community College, beginning in April. He currently is vice president for academic and student affairs at Upper Iowa University, where he has worked since 2020. Over his career, Binsfeld has advocated for initiatives to foster community engagement, support underrepresented groups such as
- [Leaving Medicaid money on the table](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/leaving-medicaid-money-on-the-table/) - Community colleges are leaving more than $115 million on the table annually in Medicaid funding that they could use to support student health and basic needs, according to a new study. Only 3% of community colleges bill Medicaid for services, even though 84% offer health services that are likely eligible for Medicaid reimbursement, says a
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-869/)
- [A well-rounded approach](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/a-well-rounded-approach/) - Technical skills are the lifeblood of the workforce, with community colleges at the forefront of short-term programs that equip students with in-demand abilities. While technical know-how remains indispensable, employers are placing increased emphasis on the so-called "human skills" taught in liberal arts —intangibles that encompass critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and comfort with ambiguity or
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-868/)
- [New stats on registered apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/new-stats-on-registered-apprenticeships/) - Despite efforts to expand registered apprenticeships into other fields, the construction industry stillemploys the bulk of all apprentices, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). From 2019 through 2022, there were 2.8 million participants in registered apprenticeship programs across all industries, the report says. More than 1.1 million apprentices were
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/funding-roundup-385/) - LaGuardia Community College, part of the City University of New York system, recently announced that it has received three new grants. With a $1.2 million grant, LaGuardia will enhance one of its programs to help internationally trained professionals (ITPs) from the healthcare field improve their English-language skills and rebuild their careers. The grant from the
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-867/)
- [Florida schools partner on teacher apprenticeships](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/florida-schools-partner-on-teacher-apprenticeships/) - Seminole State College of Florida and Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) have launched a new state-approved, hands-on teacher apprenticeship program. The new program prioritizes classroom experience over university-based learning and is part of Florida’s effort to strengthen the state’s teacher pipeline by creating a no-cost apprenticeship pathway to the teaching profession. It will help more
- [Seeking student innovators](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/seeking-student-innovators/) - The 2025 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is open for submissions. The deadline is April 3. The annual national competition, run by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), focuses on students creating STEM-related innovation to solve real-world problems. Teams of two to four students, working with
- [Fall enrollments better than initially estimated](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/fall-enrollments-better-than-initially-estimated/) - New national enrollment data show community colleges saw a bigger bump in fall 2024 enrollments than initially estimated. Overall undergraduate enrollments this fall increased by 4.7%, while enrollments at public two-year colleges grew 5.8% and by 6.3% at primarily associate-degree-granting baccalaureate institutions (PABs), according to a new final report on fall enrollments released today by
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-866/)
- [WIOA renewal on Senate panel's radar, too](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/wioa-renewal-on-senate-panels-radar-too/) - Much like their counterparts in the House, members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee may begin their work in the new Congress by covering some bipartisan common ground, including reauthorizing the nation's main workforce development law. During a HELP Committee organizing meeting on Tuesday, healthcare -- and, in particular, prescription drug
- [The trades’ growing appeal](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/the-trades-growing-appeal/) - Community colleges appear to be benefiting from shifting attitudes with Gen Z about the value of a traditional four-year degree and their concerns about prospects in an evolving job market where technology is both disrupting traditional careers and offering new opportunities. Those are the conclusions from a mix of research and analysis pointing to what
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-865/)
- [How colleges can be more entrepreneurial](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/how-colleges-can-be-more-entrepreneurial/) - As college leaders, our students gain real-world skills when we make entrepreneurial thinking and mindset a top priority. Here are some tips for making your college more entrepreneurial. This article comes from the new issue of the Community College Journal, which focuses on workforce development. The bimonthly magazine is published by the American Association of
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-864/)
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/newsmakers-308/) - New CEO Sedgwick L. Harris will become the fifth president of Bristol Community College (BCC), beginning in March. Since 2022, he has served as vice president of administrative affairs at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Harris -- an accomplished academic leader with more than 25 years of experience in higher education administration -- was
- [Advocacy quick hits: ED issues new guidance on OPMs](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/advocacy-quick-hits-ed-issues-new-guidance-on-opms/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) this week issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) reminding colleges and universities of their responsibilities in disclosing and accurately representing their partnerships with online program managers (OPMs). OPMs and other third-party servicer partnerships have been a key area of interest for the Biden administration. In 2023, ED issued a sweeping
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-863/)
- [2025 AACC Awards of Excellence finalists](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/2025-aacc-awards-of-excellence-finalists/) - The American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Awards of Excellence underscore the association’s priorities and bring national visibility to promising practices among its member colleges. Winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala on April 15 during the AACC Annual April 12-16 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Be sure to register for the convention.)
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/funding-roundup-384/) - Three new grants will boost a Central Oregon Community College (COCC) initiative to encourage student diversity in science programs. The college has received a $10,000 grant from the Bloomfield Family Foundation (the second such award from the Portland-based organization), a $10,000 grant from the Randall Charitable Trust and $20,000 in aid from the Central Oregon
- [A familiar House ed committee agenda](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/a-familiar-house-committee-agenda/) - Efforts to reauthorize the nation's main workforce development law fizzled in December, but leaders on the House Education and Workforce Committee seemed poised to try to get it done early in the new Congress. The committee on Wednesday held an organizing meeting where both parties announced new members and leadership, and also offered a glimpse
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-862/)
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/reporters-notebook-210/) - College foundation launches wildfire emergency fund Winners of ED's Postsecondary Success Recognition Program Tennessee's Navigate Reconnect helps older students College foundation launches wildfire emergency fund The Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges announced on Wednesday the launch of an emergency relief fund to help students and employees of the Los Angeles Community College District
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-861/)
- [Going corporate](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/going-corporate/) - When the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority was looking to build a pipeline of experienced bus drivers for the city, the organization turned to the Corporate College at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) to develop a Class B commercial driver’s license training program. The partnership proved so successful that the Transit Authority also asked Tri-C Corporate
- [Enrollment grows, but not among freshmen](https://www.ccdaily.com/2024/10/enrollment-grows-but-not-among-freshmen/) - Editor's note: The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center announced on January 13, 2025, that it erred in its fall 2024 freshmen and dual-enrollment estimates released in October 2024. Read the article. Dual enrollment and adult learners appear to be driving overall enrollment increases at community colleges, according to early findings on fall enrollment data from
- [Error in fall 2024 freshmen, dual-enrollment estimates](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/error-in-fall-2024-freshmen-dual-enrollment-estimates/) - The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center said on Monday that a methodological error in a preliminary report on fall 2024 college enrollments skewed findings on freshmen figures and dual enrollments. The report released in October cited an overall -5% decrease in freshmen enrollments last fall based on data collected at the time from half
- [Recognizing human trafficking on campus](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/recognizing-human-trafficking-on-campus/) - Movies and other media tend to give the impression that human trafficking occurs mainly in other countries, like southeast Asia, or in large cities, like New York City or Los Angeles. But it happens in the U.S. -- in urban, suburban and rural areas, and even on community college campuses. "It's a tough crime to
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-860/)
- [The skinny on digital portfolios](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/the-skinny-on-digital-portfolios/) - What’s in your digital wallet? Community colleges that offer the ability to upload learning and employment records (LER) into a dashboard that some call a "digital wallet" provide their students the opportunity to present their credentials to any potential employer, anywhere, at any time. Yet adoption of these apps hasn’t gone as quickly or seamlessly
- [Newsmakers](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/newsmakers-307/) - Appointments Marcia J. Ballinger, president of Lorain County Community College (Ohio), is among the 18 inaugural members of the Natcast National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Workforce Advisory Board (WFAB). The board includes leaders from higher education, industry, workforce organizations and government who will provide strategic guidance on workforce development initiatives to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-859/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-858/)
- [Addressing the needs of tomorrow's workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/addressing-the-needs-of-tomorrows-workforce/) - Using an artificial intelligence chat program, I asked my computer what was new in workforce development. A response was generated quickly and it seemed to validate the myriad ways in which community colleges provide workforce development programming and a couple of things that illustrated how workforce development is discussed outside of the sector. In some
- [Funding roundup](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/funding-roundup-383/) - In Michigan, Washtenaw Community College (WCC) students have some new lab equipment to learn on for STEM-based careers, thanks to a donation from Fluke Corporation. WCC’s new tools include handheld meters, cameras, thermometers, oscilloscopes and more used in chemistry, physics, geology and other physical science laboratories on campus. A chance meeting last year with WCC
- [Snapshot of fall enrollments, finances and more](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/snapshot-of-fall-enrollments-finances-and-more/) - New data from the National Center on Education Statistics (NCES) support findings that recent enrollment increases at public community colleges are driven by non-credential-seeking students -- most likely dual-enrollment students -- as well as first-time-in-college and transfer students. A preliminary analysis by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) of fall 2023 data collected through
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-857/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-856/)
- [DataPoints: Pell grants disbursements](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/datapoints-pell-grants-disbursements/) - The U.S. Education Department (ED) disbursed $31.47 billion in Pell grants to 6.53 million students in the 2023-24 academic year, based on preliminary year-end data. This represents a significant increase from the prior year, when $27.2 billion were awarded to 6.17 million students. The increase in dollars disbursed is due to a combination of factors.
- [A partner in building a skilled workforce](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/a-partner-in-building-a-skilled-workforce/) - “Everything you hear about the building technology industry points to one challenge: the lack of skilled trades,” says Mike Schade, vice president of human resource for North America, global digital and IT at Johnson Controls. Recognizing this gap, Johnson Controls launched the Community College Partnership Program in 2021, partnering with two-year colleges to engage students
- [CCV extends help for individuals exiting incarceration](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/ccv-extends-help-for-individuals-exiting-incarceration/) - The Community College of Vermont (CCV) and the Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) are expanding the Corrections Post-Secondary Education Initiative (CPSEI) partnership, which delivers free college courses to DOC staff and Vermonters who are incarcerated. Beginning this January 1, re-entry vouchers are available to any Vermonter ending a carceral sentence or continuing their education upon
- [18 colleges receive funding in latest round of SCCT grants](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/18-colleges-to-latest-round-of-receive-scct-grants/) - Eighteen community colleges will share $65 million through the fifth round of the U.S. Department of Labor's Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program. DOL said in a release that the grantees will provide workforce development across several industries, many of which align with the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda, such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare,
- [Reporter's notebook](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/reporters-notebook-209/) - A new regional health sciences partnership Alabama’s first state-recognized electrician apprenticeship program New funeral service teaching center on 4-year campus A new regional health sciences partnership Two North Carolina community colleges are partnering to provide broader options to health sciences programs and help fill gaps in the healthcare workforce. Central Carolina Community College and Sandhills
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-855/)
- [Headlines](https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/headlines-854/)

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